Nigeria Customs Service countered the report, calling the criticisms “unfair” and asserting that the agency has achieved major automation milestones, including new inspection technologies…
The United States has criticised Nigeria’s trade practices, citing delayed import approvals, inconsistent regulations, and costly port operations in its 2025 National Trade Estimate Report.
The US Trade Representative said Nigeria’s failure to approve import permits for American agricultural products since 2019 has severely restricted market access.
It highlighted port congestion, corruption, and slow customs processes, calling Apapa port in Lagos among the world’s most expensive due to clearance delays.
Nigeria Customs Service countered the report, calling the criticisms “unfair” and asserting that the agency has achieved major automation milestones, including new inspection technologies and the rollout of the B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System.
“We are one of the most automated Customs systems in Africa,” Customs spokesman Abdullahi Maiwada said.
The USTR also flagged issues with Nigeria’s import bans, forex backlogs, poor intellectual property enforcement, and digital trade restrictions.
Despite reforms, it concluded that “barriers that restrict trade and limit investment in Nigeria remain widespread.”