The Federal Government has banned the importation of poultry products, cement, pharmaceuticals, and several agricultural goods from countries outside the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

This is contained in a circular issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance and signed by the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, dated April 1, 2026.

According to the circular, the affected goods are part of 17 items listed under a revised import prohibition list applicable to products originating from non-ECOWAS member states. The policy forms part of the 2026 Fiscal Policy Measures and tariff amendments.

The government also announced a 90-day grace period from April 1, 2026, for importers who had already opened Form ‘M’ and entered into irrevocable trade agreements before the policy took effect, allowing them to clear goods at existing duty rates. Any new import transactions from that date will be subject to the revised regime.

The updated prohibition list includes:

·       Live or dead birds, including frozen poultry

·       Pork and beef products

·       Bird eggs (excluding hatching eggs for research and breeding)

·       Refined vegetable oil (with specified exemptions)

·       Sugar with added flavouring or colouring

·       Cocoa butter, powder, and related products

·       Tomatoes and tomato paste

·       Sweetened or flavoured beverages

·       Bagged cement

·       Medicaments and waste pharmaceuticals

·       NPK fertilisers

·       Soaps and detergents

·       Corrugated paper products

·       Glass bottles above 0.15 litres

·       Certain steel products

·       Ballpoint pens and parts

The circular noted that the new measures supersede the 2023 Fiscal Policy Measures and will be published in the official Federal Government Gazette.

In addition, the government introduced a 2 percent green tax surcharge on motor vehicles with engine capacities between 2000cc and above, as part of efforts to adjust fiscal and environmental policies.