Border Reopening: Stakeholders Seek Tax, Demurrage Waivers

After reopening Nigeria’s borders, the association of Freight Forwarding Practitioners of Nigeria (AFFPON) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to waive import duties on goods affected by the policy.

The call was made by the national president of the association, Miftahu Ya’u Bachirawa, when he spoke with LEADERSHIP in Kano.

Bachirawa said there were goods that had expired during the period while others had incurred demurrage, which needed to be written off for the affected businesses to recover.

He said, “We wish to call on the President, now that the borders have been opened, we are asking the Nigerian government to extend a hand of support to those whose goods have been stranded at the borders for months. In fact, some of the goods are affected as they have expired.

“As regards these losses we are calling on Mr President to use his executive powers to waive off all the custom duties on the goods for those whose goods have damages over the months of border closure. This will reduce the loss they are going to suffer.

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“Also for those who still have their goods in good shape, we ask the president to waive some significant part of the monies to be paid as custom duties by the Importers as a result of the demurrage that has accrued over the said period. This will help them in maintaining reasonable prices for the affected goods,” he said.

Bachirawa also expressed appreciation for the steps taken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in reopening the Nigeria-Niger border following outcry by the association.

“We are happy with the decision reached by His Excellency the President, Bola Ahmad Tinubu to open the Nigeria-Niger border. This shows that he listens to the cry of the people.

“Prior to this action by the president, everything was at a standstill at our borders and this has affected a lot of people whose goods are stranded at the borders for months. Very soon activities will resume at the borders.

“This has a direct effect on the current economic situation of the country where people are facing hardship due to inflation caused by non-availability of these goods barred at the borders.

“At present, there are a lot of goods and essential commodities at the borders with Niger that are waiting to be brought into the country or exported out. This decision by Mr President will definitely solve the problem and reduce the general hardship being faced across the country,” he said.