As Nigerians wait for the full implementation of the 150-day customs duty waiver on staple foods, tensions have risen between licensed customs agents and the Rice Processors Association of Nigeria over poor implementation of this policy.

While customs officials say the delay in the policy is due to the government’s decision to limit the initiative to rice farmers only, RPAN insists that allowing the importation of brown rice would create jobs and boost businesses. $1 trillion invested in Nigeria’s rice processing industry.

In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH on Sunday in Lagos, the agents expressed their frustration, saying opening the policy to non-milling importers could have led to better results.

They pointed out that since the July announcement, food prices have continued to rise, undermining the goal of making basic goods more affordable.

The policy, introduced by the Federal Government on July 15, 2024, aimed to reduce food prices and address growing food security challenges in Nigeria. However, with a few weeks to go until the December 31, 2024 deadline, the initiative has yet to benefit any importer or company.

The waiver was intended to cover key food products including corn, husked brown rice, wheat, beans and millet.

A seasoned licensed agent, Mr. Abayomi Duyile, criticized the lack of price reduction, especially for wheat, which had no impact on the cost of bread or other wheat products.

Duyile highlighted the disadvantage of limiting the duty exemption to rice millers, which he believes excludes direct traders and has resulted in continued price hikes. “Instead of falling, prices are increasing every day.

The concession is only for rice mills, and this is a major challenge,” Duyile said.

The National Protocol Officer of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Brokers, Amuni Rilwane, described the move as another broken promise by the government. “If they just get revenue from imports, it hurts the economy. The promise was not kept,” he added.

National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders Western Zone National Secretary Stanley Ezenga echoed similar concerns, calling the policy a “broken promise,” noting that no shipment of brown rice had been cleared since the announcement.

On the other hand, RPAN Managing Director Andy Ekwelem argued that allowing the importation of brown rice would generate jobs and support the $3 billion invested in the rice production and processing sectors.

He criticized officers for prioritizing personal profits over job creation and investment in the local economy.

“We need brown rice to supplement local production and reduce rice prices for Nigerians. Agents only care about their profit, not the economy. RPAN has called on the government to allow imports of brown rice to stabilize the market and reduce prices for consumers,” Ekwelem said.

Despite continued political delays, Ekwelem remains hopeful that the government will make the right decision.

“The government will decide what to do, and I am sure it will do the right thing,” he concluded.