The United States government has criticised Nigeria over persistent delays in approving import permits for American agricultural products, describing the situation as a longstanding barrier to trade and market access.
In its latest 2025 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) noted that despite multiple efforts to secure entry for U.S. food and agricultural goods, Nigeria has yet to act on several pending applications.
The report stated, “Since 2019, the United States has sought to negotiate import permits for the export of several categories of U.S. food and agricultural products. Nigeria has been slow to approve these requests.”
In response, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) pushed back against the U.S. claims, particularly the accusation that Nigeria’s customs processes remain largely manual. The NCS described the assertion as both “unfair” and “misinformed.”
Beyond the issue of permits, the USTR report also criticised Nigeria’s broader import regime, citing it as complex and restrictive. It pointed out that while Nigeria’s average Most-Favoured Nation (MFN) applied tariff rate stood at 12% in 2023, the rate was higher for agricultural products at 15.9%, compared to 11.4% for non-agricultural goods.
The report further noted that Nigeria imposes several additional charges on imports, which significantly raise the effective costs paid by businesses and importers.
The United States urged Nigerian authorities to address these issues to improve market openness and promote smoother bilateral trade relations.
