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The federal government in its updated schedule has included cement, detergent soap, frozen or live poultry, and chocolate bars as items prohibited from entering the country.
This is an effort to protect domestic industry and manage the country’s foreign exchange.
The Revised Import Prohibition List dated 1 April 2026 details seventeen main categories of goods that are now strictly prohibited from entering the country through any port of entry.
This latest directive from the Federal Ministry of Finance has significant implications for importers, clearing agents and the general public, as it covers a wide range of products ranging from staple foodstuffs to essential, life-saving medicines.
Among the most sensitive inclusions in this document is the complete list of prohibited drugs under HS Codes 3003.10.00.00 to 3004.90.90.00. The government has implemented a total ban on imports of common pharmaceutical products including paracetamol, metronidazole, co-trimoxazole and chloroquine tablets and syrup.
Other widely used health products such as multivitamin capsules, aspirin, folic acid, and various ointments such as penicillin and gentamicin are now restricted to local manufacturers.
This move places responsibility for the supply of primary healthcare in the country squarely on the shoulders of the domestic pharmaceutical sector, while the import of pharmaceutical waste under HS Code 3006.92.00.00 remains strictly prohibited.
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The agriculture and food sectors also face strict restrictions aimed at improving local food and agricultural security. The list confirms that live or dead poultry, including frozen poultry under HS Codes 0105.1100 to 0210.99.00.00, remains prohibited.
This also applies to pig, cow and bird eggs, although the government has allowed exceptions for hatching eggs from mothers intended for research and breeding purposes.
In addition, refined vegetable oils in retail containers of five liters or less, which include soybean, palm and sunflower oils, are prohibited, although unrefined vegetable oils and specific fats such as hydrogenated vegetable fats under HS 1516.20.10.00 are permitted to enter the country for industrial purposes.
In the retail and consumer goods group, the ban includes cane or beet sugar in retail packaging and chemically pure sucrose that contains added flavorings or colorings.
The cocoa industry is also protected, with cocoa butter, powder and cocoa cakes, as well as processed chocolate in the form of blocks or bars exceeding two kilograms, listed as prohibited items.
Other household necessities that are now restricted to local production include tomato paste and whole tomatoes sold at retail, as well as mineral water and sparkling water. The hygiene sector has been particularly impacted, with all forms of soap and organic surface active products, commonly known as detergents, now prohibited from import under HS Codes 3401.11.10.00 to 3402.90.00.00 if intended for retail sale.
Even everyday writing instruments have been affected, as pens and their refills are banned from import, although the government has made special allowances for the import of nibs. Industrial and construction materials are also not left out in the revised trade policy.
Bagged cement remains on the prohibited list under HS Code 2523.29.00.00, along with NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer and similar variants. The packaging industry continues to implement a ban on corrugated paper, paper board and cardboard, while the glass industry is protected by a ban on hollow glass bottles with a capacity exceeding 150 milliliters.
In addition, flat-rolled products from iron or non-alloy steel, especially corrugated sheets with a width of more than 600 millimeters, are also restricted.
As the Nigerian Customs Service begins to enforce these regulations, businesses across all sectors must align their procurement strategies with this legal framework to avoid confiscation of goods and legal penalties.
