Customs Pledges Support for Nigeria’s Printing Industry, Seeks Stronger Tariff Collaboration
Customs Pledges Support for Nigeria's Printing Industry, Seeks Stronger Tariff Collaboration
Customs Pledges Support for Nigeria’s Printing Industry, Seeks Stronger Tariff Collaboration
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth and competitiveness of Nigeria’s printing industry through enhanced stakeholder engagement, tariff policy advocacy and improved trade facilitation.
The commitment was made during a meeting between the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the leadership of the Chartered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria (CIPPON) at the Service Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
The CIPPON delegation was led by its President, Koko Clement, with discussions centred on addressing tariff-related challenges affecting the printing industry and strengthening collaboration to promote local manufacturing.
Speaking during the meeting, Clement described the printing industry as one of Nigeria’s largest employers after agriculture, noting that it provides direct and indirect employment for more than four million Nigerians while supporting the livelihoods of over 20 million dependants.
He appealed for stronger collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service to improve the competitiveness of the sector and encourage increased local production.
According to him, critical production inputs such as paper, printing plates, inks, machinery and spare parts currently attract relatively high import duties, while some finished printed products enter the country at lower duty rates.
He argued that the tariff imbalance places indigenous manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage and discourages investment in local production.
Responding, Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi described the institute’s presentation as a well-researched business case deserving serious national consideration.
He assured the delegation of the Service’s commitment to supporting policies that promote domestic manufacturing and directed that a joint position paper be prepared and forwarded to the Minister of Finance ahead of the next meeting of the Tariff Review Committee.
“We have a shared responsibility to ensure the sustainability of Nigeria’s printing industry. The Nigeria Customs Service will continue to support policies that encourage local production, facilitate legitimate trade and strengthen the competitiveness of indigenous manufacturers. We will also continue to engage relevant stakeholders to ensure tariff policies promote industrial growth and national economic development,” Adeniyi said.
Also speaking, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Tariff and Trade, Caroline Niagwan, explained that the Service implements fiscal policies approved by the Federal Government but welcomed CIPPON’s advocacy for tariff reforms.
She encouraged the institute to formally submit its proposals to the Federal Ministry of Finance and noted that existing concessions under Chapter 99 of the Common External Tariff (CET) already provide incentives for manufacturers importing approved raw materials and production machinery.
The meeting underscored the shared commitment of both organisations to strengthening Nigeria’s printing industry through policy dialogue, improved trade facilitation and support for local industrial development.
Customs Pledges Support for Nigeria’s Printing Industry, Seeks Stronger Tariff Collaboration
