RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/LIC/N/3/NGA/1
25July1996
ORGANIZATION(96-2953)
Original: English Committee onImport Licensing
REPLIES TOQUESTIONNAIRE ONIMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 7.3OFTHE
AGREEMENT ONIMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES
NIGERIA
Thefollowing notification, dated 17July1996, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent Mission
ofNigeria.
_______________
TheGeneral Import Licensing Procedure hasbeen abolished since 1986, following the
introduction oftheStructural Adjustment Programme. What wehaveinthecountry nowisasituation
where some items areprohibited fortrade purposes while others areabsolutely prohibited forhealth,
security andsocial reasons.
Outline ofSystems
1.(i) Firearms (arms, ammunition andexplosives)
Applications fortheimportation offirearms (arms, ammunition andexplosives) aretreated
withcaution asitinvolves thesecurity ofthenation. Each application isconsidered onitsownmerit
andwhen granted, thespecific quantity tobeimported willbestated. Thelicence toimport armsand
ammunition isissued bytheInspector-General ofPolice ordesignated Police Officer.
(ii) Tobacco licence
Noperson shallimport intoNigeria unmanufactured leaftobacco unless heisaholder ofa
Tobacco Importer 'sLicence. This licence issued bytheNigeria Customs Service expires on
31December, following thedateofissue andrenewable every year. Licences areissued asper
guidelines inCustoms andExcise Notice No.22of1959.
(iii) Liveanimals andbirds
Valid import certificate andpermit asprovided forintheDiseases ofAnimal Actof1917and
1962aretobeattached toentries covering importation ofliveanimals andbirds. Inthecaseofdogs,
importation mustbeaccompanied byavalid certificate signed byaveterinary officer inthecountry
oforigin totheeffect thatthedog(s) arehealthy andhavenot,within sixmonths priortoimportation,
beenexposed toinfection byrabies. Inaddition, importation ofdogsmustbecovered byimport permits
issued bytheDirector oftheFederal Department ofVeterinary Research orChief Veterinary Officer
ofanyoftheStates ofNigeria.G/LIC/N/3/NGA/1
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(iv) Poison, drugs andmedical preparations
Importation mustcomply strictly withtheprovisions ofthePharmacy ActandRegulations.
Permits aregiven bytheFederal Minister forHealth andcertified bytheNational Food andDrugs
Administration.
(v) Petroleum products
PetroleumproductsarerestrictedandpermitsaregivenbytheHonourableMinisterforPetroleum
Resources.
(vi) Prohibited items
Alltheitems under prohibition require apermit bytheHead ofStateontherecommendation
oftheTariff Review Board before theycanbeimported intothecountry, videitemIIPartIofCustoms
Excise Tariff (Consolidation) Decree No.4of1995.
(vii) Transit Permit
Thissystem entails receiving application fortransit fromalicensed Customs Agent onbehalf
ofthetransitor. Thelatter isusually introduced andrecommended byhiscountry 'sEmbassy andthe
documents arethenprocessed forthetransit permit.
Purposes andCoverage ofLicensing
2. There aretwogroups ofitems which require licences orpermits:
(i) Prohibited items
Listed inschedules 3and4ofCustoms Excise Tariff (Consolidation) Decree No.4of1995.
(ii) Restricted items
Asitemised inparagraph 1(i-v) ofanswers totheQuestionnaire.
3. Allcountries.
4.(i) Forsecurity reasons.
(ii) Forcontrolling andmonitoring revenue, andprotection oflocalfarmers.
(iii) Forhealth reasons.
(iv) Forquality standard, prevention offakeandexpired drugs.
(v) Forthecontrol ofquality andsecurity.
(vi) Forsecurity andprotection ofinfant industries andother economic considerations.
5. Customs andExcise Management Act,Customs andExcise Notices, Federal Laws and
Government Notices. Yes; theFederal Military Government canabolish anyofthelawsthrough
Decrees.G/LIC/N/3/NGA/1
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Procedures
6. I. Theinformation ispublished intheOfficial Gazette, newspapers andtradepublications.
Thequantity allocated toeachimporter, ortobeimported fromeachcountry, willnotbepublished,
butthequantity, andifpossible where applicable, theamount allocated toeachimporter willbestated
inindividual licences andpermits.
II. Thesizeofthequota isdetermined onthemerit ofeachapplication andonayearly basis in
mostcases. However, there aresome cases where permits aregiven forsome specific importations
without anyreference totime-limit.
III. (a) No;licences arenotallotted forcertain goods partly oronlytodomestic procedures
oflikegoods.
(b) Atpresent theGovernment isnottaking anystepstoensure thatlicences allocated are
actually usedforimport.
(c) Anyallocation notutilized attheexpiration ofthelicence isconsidered forfeited.
(d) Yes; onrequest.
IV. January toSeptember.
V. Within twoweeks.
VI. Eleven months.
VII. Consideration oflicence applications areeffected byasingle administrative organ.
VIII. Applications areexamined onreceipt andallocation ofquota isonthebasisofmerit andfirst-
come-first-served.
IX. No;ifthegoods arenotprohibited orrestricted inNigeria.
X. Notapplicable.
XI. Yes; manufacture in-bond-scheme.
7.(a) Within threemonths. No;goods which arerestricted orprohibited cannot belanded inNigeria
without licence orpermit.
(b) No.
(c) January toSeptember, toallow timeforprocessing ofimport documents.
(d) No;onlyoneorgan.
8. Application foralicence canberefused fortrade malpractices andsecurity reasons. Reasons
forrefusal arealways stated intherejection letter. However, theapplicant hastheright toappeal
tohigher authorities.G/LIC/N/3/NGA/1
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Eligibility ofImporters toApply forLicence
9. Allpersons, firms andindustries areeligible toapply forlicences under 9(a)and(b).
Documentational andOther Requirements forApplication forLicence
10. TaxClearance Certificate, Certificate ofIncorporation, expired licence (incaseoftobacco),
name andaddress oftheapplicant (notP.O.BoxorP.M.B.).
11. BillofEntry, BillofLading, orAirway Bill,signed andattested invoices, Clean Report of
Findings, Import Duty Report andregistered form "M".
12. Noadministrative charge orlicensing feeisinvolved.
13. No;January to31December.
Conditions ofLicensing
14. Twelve months; January to31December. Yes; byapplication andrevalidation.
15. No.
16. No.
17. (a) No.
(b) No.
Other Procedural Requirements
18. Yes; Letter ofCredit, form "M"through theimporter 'sbank.
19. No;foreign exchange isnotautomatically provided forgoods tobeimported. Alicence is
notacondition forobtaining foreign exchange. Theconditions forobtaining foreign exchange are
speltoutinForeign Exchange Market andAutonomous Foreign Exchange Market guidelines. These
twobodies control theoperation oftheforeign exchange market. Theimporter musthavesufficient
money inhis/her current account withhis/her banktocover thecostoftheimportation before thebank
canselltherequired foreign exchange tohim/her onapplication onform "M".