After eight years, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has officially lifted the foreign exchange restrictions on 43 previously banned items.
This decision marks a significant development in Nigeria’s economic policy and has garnered considerable attention. Here is a breakdown of the 43 items that are no longer subject to foreign exchange restrictions:
- Rice
- Cement
- Margarine
- Palm kernel
- Palm oil products
- Vegetable oils
- Meat and processed meat products
- Vegetables and processed vegetable products
- Poultry and processed poultry products
- Tinned fish in sauce (Geisha)/sardine
- Cold rolled steel sheets
- Galvanized steel sheets
- Roofing sheets
- Wheelbarrows
- Head pans
- Metal boxes and containers
- Enamelware
- Steel drums
- Steel pipes
- Wire rods (deformed and not deformed)
- Iron rods
- Reinforcing bars
- Wire mesh
- Steel nails
- Security and razor fencing and poles
- Wood particle boards and panels
- Wood fiberboards and panels
- Plywood boards and panels
- Wooden doors
- Toothpicks
- Glass and glassware
- Kitchen utensils
- Tableware
- Tiles-vitrified and ceramic
- Gas cylinders
- Woven fabrics
- Clothes
- Plastic and rubber products
- Polypropylene granules
- Cellophane wrappers and bags
- Soap and cosmetics
- Tomatoes/tomato pastes
- Eurobond/foreign currency bond/share purchases
This development is expected to have far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s economy and international trade. The decision to lift the foreign exchange restrictions is seen as a major step towards opening up Nigeria’s trade policies and facilitating a more liberalized economic environment. It will be interesting to observe how this decision impacts various sectors and industries in the coming months. Stay tuned for more updates and analysis on this significant policy change.