The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) are seeking to mend strained relations, a week after the controversial four percent Free on Board (FOB) charge on imports was suspended.
At a courtesy visit to Customs headquarters in Abuja, Adewale Adeniyi, comptroller-general of Customs, told the MAN director general, Segun Ajayi-Kadiri, that a “fresh agenda” was needed to move beyond immediate disputes.
He said lasting cooperation would only come through mutual understanding and broader stakeholder buy-in.
“The only way for you to appreciate what can bring lasting friendship, collaboration and partnership is when we understand from both sides what the issues are,” Adeniyi said.
Manufacturers had fiercely opposed the FOB levy since it was first rolled out in February, warning it would worsen production costs and push inflation higher.
Their pressure, along with other trade stakeholders, led the Ministry of Finance to halt the charge in mid-September, barely two months after its rollout.
Adeniyi acknowledged the pushback and mentioned steps Customs was taking to improve trade facilitation, including the Authorised Economic Operator programme, Advanced Ruling, a new Corporate Social Responsibility framework, and the indigenous B’Odogwu platform.
He said preparations were also underway for a major conference in November to chart a way forward on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“We are ready to travel to Lagos to meet with manufacturers at their base,” Adeniyi added, stressing that the dialogue must continue without delay.
Ajayi-Kadiri welcomed the overture. He said there should be “no gap or roadblock between the two institutions,” describing the Service as an “indispensable partner.”
He called for a renewed partnership that avoids confrontation and ensures policy reflects the realities facing manufacturers across the country.
“I am happy that once again we are reigniting what we used to have. Many developments in the economy require us to accelerate this engagement, expand it and make it work.” Ajayi-Kadiri said.
