The Federal Government has increased the number of items on its import restriction list. The additional items are sugar, canned and bottled beer, toilet roll, confectionaries, exercise books, envelopes, barite and bentonite.

In August 2002, the Government initially banned the importation of:

Sorghum
Millet
Wheat flour
Gypsum
Vegetable oil in bulk
Mosquito repellent coils
Used tyres
Gaming machines
Second hand clothes
Used refrigerator and air-conditioning units
Used compressors
Bagged cement
Vehicles that are over eight years old
Textile of any kind through the land border
Printed fabrics (Ankara)
Frozen poultry
Cassava and cassava products
Containerised goods through the land borders
Fruit juice in retail packets
Table water (sparkling/non-sparkling)
Noodles
Biscuits of any type
Drugs and other regulated products

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Customs Service has given importers a 21-day grace period to clear items on the Federal Government’s current import restriction list.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Aliyu Mustapha, disclosed that the grace period would expire on 22 July, after which the import restriction order would be enforced.

Mustapha revealed that Customs officials at the border areas, seaports and international airports have been mandated to take immediate legal action against importers of banned goods.

The law prescribes jail terms ranging from six months to two years for those caught importing banned items. In addition, the goods and the means by which they are transported would be seized.