The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called on the Nigeria Customs Service to immediately halt the enforcement of the four per cent Free-on-Board levy, warning that the charge raises import costs, undermines competitiveness, and weakens investor confidence.
In a statement on Monday, LCCI Director-General, Dr Chinyere Almona, expressed concern that Customs continues to apply the levy despite a formal directive from the Minister of Finance suspending it.
On September 15, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, instructed the NCS to suspend the four per cent FOB levy on imported goods.
According to reports, Edun withdrew the charge following widespread objections from manufacturers, importers, and clearing agents, who argued that the levy would fuel inflation, erode trade competitiveness, and discourage investment.
Almona said, “The Customs has cited Section 18(1)(a) of the NCS Act 2023 as the basis for the levy. While we respect the legislative process, the Minister of Finance is the constitutionally empowered authority for fiscal policy. A duly issued ministerial suspension should take immediate effect unless overturned by the National Assembly or a competent court.”
She emphasised that the ongoing collection of the levy contradicts the government’s commitment to easing the cost of doing business.
“The continued collection of this levy raises import costs, erodes competitiveness, and undermines investor confidence,” she said
The LCCI urged the Customs Service to promptly recalibrate its systems to reflect the suspension and to issue a public notice confirming compliance. It also called on the Ministry of Finance and the National Assembly to engage swiftly to remove any legal ambiguities surrounding the levy.
“Nigeria’s business community needs policy clarity and institutional coordination to sustain trade, jobs, and economic growth,” she added.
The FOB levy, established under the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 as a four per cent import charge, has faced strong opposition from the organised private sector, which criticised it as arbitrary and detrimental to business operations.
The levy has been suspended multiple times, most recently by the Finance Minister’s directive earlier this year.
