The Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN) has strongly opposed the newly introduced 4% Free-On-Board (FOB) levy by the Nigeria Customs Service, describing it as an “economically dangerous policy” that could worsen inflation, cripple industries, and drive many importers out of business.
This position was made clear during the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Wednesday at its Southwest Zonal Secretariat in Apapa, Lagos.
According to IMAN, the levy, which was introduced to replace the1% Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) has already triggered alarming cost increases.
Speaking at the meeting, the Acting National President and Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT), Chief Gilbert E. Obi, said the levy would immediately raise the cost of essential imports such as gas, spare parts, machinery, and raw materials—placing an unbearable burden on industries and consumers.
“Nigeria is an import-dependent nation. This levy will instantly hike costs, disrupt supply chains, and destabilize the naira,” Obi warned. He noted that while the levy replaces the former 1% CISS, it triples the burden on importers, adding trillions of naira annually to freight costs.
He argued that Customs’ modernization programme, anchored on the B’Odogwu platform, does not justify such a levy. Describing the system as “epileptic” if not addressed. Obi warned that it may become obsolete by January 2026, when the Nigerian Revenue Service is set to take over customs revenue collection.
The IMAN leader also addressed internal challenges within the association, acknowledging that factional disputes had weakened its cohesion in recent months. He explained that the NEC meeting was convened to reconcile splinter groups and restore unity among members.
“We must embark on a peace mission to achieve our aim and objective of this council meeting,” Obi said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of IMAN’s Southwest Zone, Chief (Dr.) Austin Kelly, emphasized that the gathering marked “a new era” for the association. He recalled that IMAN, established in 2007 with over 4,500 members nationwide, was created to unify importers, protect their investments, and advocate for favorable trade policies.
Kelly noted that the disruptions caused by the B’Odogwu test-run have led to massive demurrage and storage costs, further compounding the challenges for importers.
“Many of our members are already counting losses, while some are considering moving their operations to Ghana and other neighboring countries,” Kelly said.
On his part, the Director General of IMAN Taskforce, Amb. Chijioke Okoro decried that the Government do not adequately engage Importers before implementation of new policies that affect them. He also warned that the policy, combined with disruptions from the B’Odogwu technology platform, could cripple industries, inflate costs, and push more importers out of business if not addressed.
Also speaking at the meeting, Mrs. Bernadine Eloka, Vice President of Clarion Shipping West Africa Limited, enlightened importers on the opportunities presented by an indigenous shipping line capable of handling shipments from China and other countries into Nigeria, as well as exports and transshipments within the West African sub-region.
She appealed for the patronage of Nigerian importers, stressing that supporting local shipping companies would help build national pride and reduce capital flight.
The meeting, which drew representatives from all six geopolitical zones, also addressed issues of leadership direction, funding challenges, organizational cohesion, and the need to reposition IMAN as a strong voice in Nigeria’s trade and logistics sector.
