COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE SENSITIZATION WORKSHOP ON UNDERSTANDING THE 2017 REVISED EXPORT AND IMPORT GUIDELINES

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iii. To enlighten the Nigerian trading public on the rules and regulations, as well as practices and formalities relating to trade across borders;

iv. To share knowledge, experiences and lessons on import and export trade operations in Nigeria;

v. To update participants on the role of Banks in Trade Facilitation;

vi. To throw more lights on the procedures for SONCAP Certification.

1.3 Participants at the workshop were drawn from both the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy, representing MDAs, organisations and Groups/Associations, as well as individuals, who are involved in the export and import value chains those engaged have in the export and import businesses.

2.0 OPENING CEREMONY

2.1 The Workshop was formally declared open by the Honourable Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun who was ably represented by the Director Home Department, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Olubunmi O. Siyanbola, while the Welcome Address was rendered by the Permanent Secretary (Federal Ministry of Finance) who was also ably represented by Director of Information of the Ministry Mr. Salisu Saleh Nainna. Goodwill messages were rendered by Mr. Jude Oboh on behalf of the Senior Special Assistant to President on Industry, Trade and Investment and Secretary to the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, Dr. Jumoke Oduwale, who was represented by Mr. Jude Oboh from Enabling Business Environment Secretariat.

2.2 The Honourable Minster, in her Keynote Address noted that the Workshop was an auspicious start to interaction with the trading public and was tailored to enlighten the relevant stakeholders on the major provisions of the 2017 Revised Import and Export Guidelines. This she said was to enable all to read from the same page, minimize the chances of misinterpretation and/or misapplication and, ensure seamless implementation and compliance. She underscored the need for ease of formal trading across the Nigerian borders. She noted that though in the World Bank’s 2018 report, Nigeria has moved up twenty-four points from 169^thposition on 2017 to number 145 out of 190 Countries in the Ease of Doing Business Index for 2018, Nigeria has actually declined from 181^st to 183^rd position in terms of trading across borders.

2.3 She commended the Inter-Ministerial Committees that reviewed the Import and Export Guidelines for their efforts to remove all identified physical and administrative bottlenecks based on the past experiences and lessons to further promote the ease of doing business in Nigeria, in line with the Executive Order No. 1.

2.4 She stated that measures being introduced to ensure drastic reduction in time spent on processing of export and also to ensure 24 hours clearance of cargoes imported into Nigeria would be steadfastly implemented. These include reduction of documentation requirements from 10 to seven for export and from 14 to eight for import; additional responsibilities given to the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Ports Authority and Shipping lines/other Carriers; and introduction of sanctions to enforce compliance with the Guidelines.

The Honourable Minister announced that the Export and Import Guidelines would be fully implemented with effect from 1^st January, 2018, but assured that goods already loaded for shipment to Nigeria prior to this date would not be affected by the palletization policy. In addition, in recognition of the concerns expressed by the trading stakeholders regarding the policy, she also assured that list of categories of goods that may be exempted from palletization, where it is absolutely necessary, would be placed on the websites of the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF) and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), shortly.

PAPER PRESNTATION:

TECHNICAL SESSION

This Session was divided into two, namely, presentation of papers and Panel Discussions. The following two papers were presented:

Overview of the Revised 2017 Import and Export Guidelines on Trade Facilitation – by Federal Ministry of Finance; and
Documentation Requirements, procedures and processes under the 2017 Revised Import and Export Guidelines – by the Nigeria Customs Service.

The paper presentations were immediately followed by Panel Discussant, which was entirely an interactive platform, where representatives of FIRS, CBN, NPA/TO, NCS, NSC, SON, NAFDAC, DPR, ZENITH, CRFFN explained their roles in the ease of doing business as they related to trade.

COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS

Participants noted the contents of the 2017 Revised Guidelines, especially the measures introduced to ensure ease of trading across borders, which include:

i) additional responsibilities assigned to Nigeria Customs Service, Shipping Lines and other Carriers;

ii) introduction of responsibilities of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA);

iii) the sanctions introduced to enforce compliance with the Guidelines; and

iv) present Government’s determination to streamline the processes, procedures and documentation requirements for export and import trade.

After the Penal Discussion, the following comments and observations were made:

iv) Reforms towards compliance of doing business order need to be expanded, to include infrastructure development at the ports;

v) Number of steps and Agencies involved in clearing goods at the ports need to be reduced for operational efficiency;

vi) The sanctions introduced will facilitate compliance only when when fully enforced

vii) Stakeholders observed that the FIRS referring on payment of taxes in connection to ease of doing Business in Nigeria is still complex

viii) FIRS have not introduced digitalized platforms to capture payment in connection to import and export business.

ix) It was observed that the guidelines and the law is not in tanden

x) It was observed that there are multiple agencies at the ports

xi) Most Scanners at this ports are not functional

xii) Wood pallets come with diseases and increase traffic congestion.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

i) There should be a Ministerial directive to all Agencies to be integrated into the Single Window Platform in order to have seamless transaction.

ii) Government should ensure that Scanners at the ports are functional.

iii) Plastic pallets should be adopted.

iv) Ministry of Mines and Steel Development should be made to own its guidelines in line with the FMF structure.

v) Shipping lines should not be sanctioned or penalized for vessels not palletized but the importers should bear the risk

vi) There is need to automate the NXP Form by CBN.

vii) COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE SENSITIZATION WORKSHOP ON UNDERSTANDING THE 2017 REVISED EXPORT AND IMPORT GUIDELINES, PROCEDURES AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS FOR EASE OF DOING BUSINESS ORGANISED BY THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE HELD ON THURSDAY, 30^TH NOVEMBER, 2017 AT LAGOS AIRPORT HOTEL, IKEJA – LAGOS, NIGERIA