Business

Restrictions on 43 Items: It’s a Policy Mistakes As It Falls outside CBN’s Mandates- Cardoso

Published

2 years ago

November 29, 2023

OCHEFA

203 Views

By Ocheneyi Alli

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has given fresh reasons it removed the restriction on 43 items that can be produced in Nigeria, from accessing foreign exchange, saying it’s trade policy which falls outside its mandates.

Olayemi Cardoso, CBN Governor, said: “It is important to note that trade policy is
primarily the responsibility of the fiscal authorities, and delving into such matters falls outside the purview of the CBN.”

He made the clarification during the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) 58th Annual Bankers’ Dinner and Grand Finale of the Institute’s 60th Anniversary.

He said: ” Allow me to provide further clarification on the issue of the 43 items.
First, it is important to note that these items were never outrightly banned by the government.

The CBN had imposed restrictions on their access to foreign exchange in the official market.

However, these restrictions resulted in increased demand for foreign exchange in the parallel market, leading to the depreciation of the exchange rate in that segment of the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) and widening the premium between the parallel and official market.

Studies have shown that during the period when the 43
items were restricted, there was a 51.0% increase in trade evasion by importers accessing the foreign exchange market, resulting in a revenue drop of approximately US$1.4 billion, or US$275 million annually, between 2015 and 2019.

Affects Revenue Tariffs on Goods

Additionally, revenue from tariffs on goods decreased from a high of approximately US$920 million in 2011 to about US$250 million in 2017.
In 2019, the actual tariff on goods stood at US$320 million, but counter factual evidence suggests that as much as US$680 million could have been earned in the same year.

Furthermore, evidence has shown that foreign exchange restrictions had an adverse impact on Nigerian households and contributed to inflationary pressures.

The reduction in trade restrictions and levies on rice,sugar, and wheat by 50.0% had only a minimal impact on welfare, with a 0.8%
improvement, and a mere 0.4% reduction in extreme poverty.

Moreover, the benefits of trade gains for the general population
were negligible, as the average industry in Nigeria pays 13.7% more for its inputs.”

Manufacturers Apprehensive

However, local manufacturers are not happy with the removal of the ban on the 43 items, fearing that it is capable of collapsing many industries very soon.

The Vice Chairman of Basic Metal, Iron and Steel Products sector of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Lekan Adewoye, has advised the Federal Government to urgently reverse its decision to remove ban on 43 items on foreign exchange restriction by the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN).

Lack of consultation with MAN

Adewoye, totally condemned the new CBN policy , asserting “This directive will further kill the manufacturing industry that is already struggling to survive.

” The problem is about policy somersaults., some of our members who have outrightly invested in backward integration will now start to regret this move because everyone who can assess FOREX will claim to be an importer, forcing sincere manufacturers to
close shop and increasing the numbers of jobless persons.”
He laments further: ” “Lack of consultation, I can speak for manufacturers because we always try our best to engage the government on some critical issues and decisions, but when some of these decisions are being taken, manufacturers are not being consulted.

“Even when the 43 items were put on the restriction list, there was no consultation. It was just at the end of the day, we felt that to a reasonable extent, the decision were in the interest of manufacturers, but there were a couple of items on that list, that some manufacturers use at that time, some of those manufacturers were also affected and government is taking a decision to remove the entire items on that list without proper consultation with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, (MAN) to even have an idea of what effect will this have on their businesses.

“I want to assure you that many industries will shutdown very soon and this will lead to lost of jobs and insecurity will be alarming in the country. Nigeria has all it needs to produce Iron Rods and other items on this list, opening up the market will be a disincentive to manufacturers that continue to put their resources and investment into growing the industry.”

Dr. Abubakar Aliyu, an ex Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) , amplifies Mr. Adewoye’s concerns and said: About two months ago, CBN woke up and said that 43 items it restricted can now access foreign exchange.
This will greatly affect the MAN members companies .
He encouraged the leadership of MAN and the RMRDC to strongly engage the Federal Government on the issue , because, it will seriously affect the performance of the sector .

Background
CBN, had in a circular in June 2015, published a list of imported goods and services that will not be eligible for foreign exchange in the Nigerian foreign currency market.

The list which was originally 41 was updated to include two more items.

Below were the list of the items:

1. Rice
2. Cement
3. Margarine
4. Palm kernel
5. Palm oil products
6. Vegetable oils
7. Meat and processed meat products
8. Vegetables and processed vegetable products
9. Poultry and processed poultry products
10. Tinned fish in sauce (Geisha)/sardine
11. Cold rolled steel sheets
12. Galvanized steel sheets
13. Roofing sheets
14. Wheelbarrows
15. Head pans
16. Metal boxes and containers
17. Enamelware
18. Steel drums
19. Steel pipes
20. Wire rods (deformed and not deformed)
21. Iron rods
22. Reinforcing bars
23. Wire mesh
24. Steel nails
25. Security and razor fencing and poles
26. Wood particle boards and panels
27. Wood fiberboards and panels
28. Plywood boards and panels
29. Wooden doors
30. Toothpicks
Glass and glassware
32. Kitchen utensils
33. Tableware
34. Tiles-vitrified and ceramic
35. Gas cylinders
36. Woven fabrics
37. Clothes
38. Plastic and rubber products
39. Polypropylene granules
40. Cellophane wrappers and bags
41. Soap and cosmetics
42. Tomatoes/tomato pastes
43. Eurobond/foreign currency bond/ share purchases.

Related Topics:Restrictions on 43 Items by CBN

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Business

ICPC: Dangote must testify in person

The agency said that the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, does not allow proxy representation on criminal matters.It gave Dangote December 29 deadline to appear before it.

Published

2 days ago

December 25, 2025

OCHEFA

37 Views

File Photo: Aliko Dangote and Farouk Ahmed

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says that Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote must appear personally before the Commission to testify the corruption allegations against the former against the former Chief Executive of Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Alhaji Farouk Ahmed.

The agency said that the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, does not allow proxy representation on criminal matters.It gave Dangote December 29 deadline to appear before it.

The anti-graft commission conveyed its decision to Dangote’s lawyer, Dr. Ogwu Onoja (SAN), in a December 24 letter.

Onoja had on December 22, gone to the ICPC office to adopt the petition.But in a letter to Onoja by the Chief of Staff to ICPC Chairman, Rouqayya Ibrahim, the commission said it was necessary for Dangote to come in person.

Business

E- Commerce: bitMARTe Launches in Nigeria with Same-Day Delivery, Buyer Protection and Merchant Financing

With its official launch, bitMARTe is now live and open to users across Nigeria, positioning itself as a technology-enabled commerce platform focused on speed, trust, local content and economic empowerment.

Published

3 days ago

December 24, 2025

OCHEFA

49 Views

Photo: Left to Right: Amaka Onaibre – Legal Counsel, Dr Eke Eke – Chief Executive Officer, Tolulope Ogungbade – Business Manager & Chief Operating Officer.

bitMARTe, a new Nigerian-focused e-commerce platform, has officially launched operations, unveiling a suite of innovative features designed to address long-standing challenges facing online shopping and digital commerce across Nigeria and Africa.

Speaking at the launch, Chief Executive Officer of SpringRock Group and founder of bitMARTe, Dr. Eke Eke, said that the platform was built with a deep understanding of the peculiar realities of the African market, particularly issues around delivery delays, payment security, product quality and access to business capital.

Beyond online marketplace

Dr. Eke emphasised that bitMARTe is not merely an online marketplace but a technology-driven operating system tailored to manage the infrastructural and logistical challenges unique to the region, while delivering services comparable to global e-commerce standards.

One of the platform’s standout innovations is its same-city, same-day delivery service, aimed at restoring consumer confidence in online shopping.

A gap bitMARTe intends to close.

Dr. Eke noted that delivery delays have historically discouraged Nigerians from relying on e-commerce for urgent purchases, a gap bitMARTe intends to close.

The platform also places strong emphasis on promoting Made-in-Nigeria products, offering buyers access to a wide range of locally produced goods without the restrictions commonly seen on other platforms.

This, according to the founders, will enhance affordability while supporting local manufacturers and merchants

To attract early adopters, bitMARTe has rolled out multiple promotional incentives. The first 5,000 users to register on the platform will receive a ₦1,000 gift card, while users who successfully refer others who make purchases will earn ₦1,000 per referral, with no cap on earnings.

First-time buyers will also enjoy additional rewards, creating multiple earning opportunities for active users.

Payment Safety

Addressing concerns around payment safety, Dr. Eke explained that bitMARTe operates a secure escrow-style payment system, ensuring that funds are only released to merchants after buyers confirm receipt and satisfaction using a unique verification code.

This mechanism, he said, provides strong protection against fraud and misrepresentation.

In addition, bitMARTe has established a robust quality assurance framework to ensure product accuracy and integrity. Items that fail to meet stated standards will be removed from the platform, while goods damaged in transit will be replaced at no cost to the buyer.

The company also pledged to investigate and address the root causes of such incidents to maintain high service standards.

bitMARTe’s customer service architecture

Dr. Eke emphasized that bitMARTe’s customer service architecture is deliberately buyer-centric, with centralized handling of interactions to ensure consistency, professionalism and fairness across the platform.

Beyond buyers, bitMARTe is also positioning itself as a growth partner for merchants.

In response to a question on its merchant financing model, Dr Eke disclosed that the platform plans to offer loans to active merchants after six months of operation, based on transaction history, cash flow and conduct on the platform.

He noted that access to affordable credit remains a major obstacle for Nigerian businesses, adding that bitMARTe’s financing model is designed to provide practical and sustainable loan terms, in contrast to the high interest rates typically charged by commercial banks.

Present at the launch

Also present at the launch were Mrs Tolu Ogungbade, Business Manager and Chief Operating Officer of bitMARTe, and Mrs Amaka Onaibre, Legal Adviser, who both reaffirmed the company’s commitment to transparency, compliance and long-term value creation for users and partners.

Business

Heirs Energies Secures $750 Million Financing from Afreximbank for Expansion

Published

5 days ago

December 21, 2025

Charles Flames

114 Views

Heirs Energies Limited, Nigeria’s leading indigenous integrated energy company, has secured a $750 million financing facility from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).

The deal was finalized during a signing ceremony in Abuja on December 20, 2025, attended by Tony O. Elumelu, CFR, Chairman of Heirs Energies, and Dr. George Elombi, President and Chairman of Afreximbank.

This transaction marks one of the largest financings ever obtained by an indigenous African energy firm, underscoring strong confidence in Heirs Energies’ operational track record, governance, brownfield expertise, and future growth potential.

Since taking over operatorship of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 17, Heirs Energies has implemented a rigorous turnaround strategy, emphasizing production recovery, asset integrity, and efficiency gains.

Through targeted interventions and infrastructure upgrades, the company has shifted from acquisition-focused funding to a sustainable capital structure suited to long-term reserve development.

Production has doubled since acquisition, rising from 25,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) and 50 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mmscf/d) to more than 50,000 bopd and 120 mmscf/d currently. All gas output is supplied to Nigeria’s domestic market, playing a key role in supporting national power generation.

The company has also overhauled community engagement and upheld top-tier health and safety standards.

The new Afreximbank facility will fund accelerated field development, production optimization, and strategic growth initiatives, all while adhering to strict capital discipline.Tony O. Elumelu, CFR, Chairman of Heirs Energies, commented: “This transaction is a powerful affirmation of what African enterprise can achieve when backed by disciplined execution and long-term African capital.

It reflects the successful journey Heirs Energies has taken—from turnaround to growth—and reinforces our belief in African capital working for African businesses. This is Africa financing Africa’s future.

”Dr. George Elombi, President and Chairman of Afreximbank, added: “Afreximbank is proud to support Heirs Energies at this pivotal stage of its growth.

This financing reflects our confidence in the company’s leadership, governance, and asset base, and aligns with our mandate to support African champions driving sustainable economic transformation across the continent.

”The deal highlights Afreximbank’s commitment to empowering indigenous operators capable of advancing energy security, sustainable development, and economic value throughout Africa.

With this funding in place, Heirs Energies is well-positioned for its next growth phase, prioritizing operational excellence, responsible resource management, and lasting stakeholder value.

Heirs Energies Limited is Africa’s leading indigenous-owned integrated energy company, dedicated to addressing the continent’s energy demands while advancing global sustainability objectives. It emphasizes innovation, environmental stewardship, and community development in the evolving energy sector.

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral institution focused on financing and promoting intra- and extra-African trade, supporting industrialization, trade growth, and economic transformation.