The Federal Government has announced a major revision of its trade policy, introducing restrictions on the importation of several goods from countries outside the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), alongside a new green tax on high-capacity vehicles.
According to a circular issued by the Ministry of Finance and signed by Finance Minister Wale Edun, the updated policy forms part of 17 items placed on a revised import prohibition list aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s fiscal and trade framework.
The directive states that any new import transactions from April 1, 2026, will now be subject to the revised import duty regime, which replaces earlier fiscal measures introduced in 2023. The government also noted that the policy will be formally published in the Official Federal Government Gazette.
The restricted items include live and frozen poultry, beef and pork products, eggs (with limited exceptions for breeding and research), refined vegetable oils (with specific exemptions), sugar, cocoa products, tomato paste, non-alcoholic beverages with additives, bagged cement, selected pharmaceuticals and waste medicines, chemical fertilisers (NPK), soaps and detergents, paper and packaging materials, glass bottles above certain capacities, steel products, and ballpoint pen components.
In addition, the government introduced a 2 percent green tax surcharge on motor vehicles with engine capacities between 2009cc and 3999cc, as well as those above 4000cc, as part of efforts to align fiscal policy with environmental considerations.
Authorities say the measures are designed to encourage local production, reduce import dependence, and strengthen domestic industries across agriculture, manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals.
