Presidency: Suspension of Taxes on Imported Food Commodities Not Yet Official

The Presidency has clarified that the suspension of taxes on the importation of food commodities is not yet official.

In an interview with The Cable on Monday, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga stated that the proposed measures are still under review. “The measures are not yet official,” he confirmed.

Earlier, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Abubakar Kyari issued a statement announcing the suspension of duties, tariffs, and taxes on imported maize, husked brown rice, wheat, and cowpeas through land and sea borders. Kyari mentioned that a 150-day duty-free import window for these food commodities would be introduced as part of efforts to combat food inflation in Nigeria over the next 180 days.

These measures are included in the accelerated stabilization and advancement plan presented to President Bola Tinubu by the economic management team (EMT) under the Presidential Economic Coordination Council (PECC), established by the president in March.

Kyari noted that rising food prices are due to multiple taxes and levies, infrastructural challenges, and “sheer profiteering by marketers and traders.”

In a now-deleted post on X, Onanuga had also announced these measures.