By Haruna Salami
The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has lamented the non-payment of export duty by Dangote Cement, Coca-Cola and other companies as a federal government policy aimed at encouraging local production.
Director General, Hamid Ali stated this Thursday at the Senate public hearing on 2021–2023 Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF and Fiscal Strategy Paper, FSP in Abuja.
The CG, who gave assurance that the Service will meet its revenue target of N1.2 trillion for 2021, however lamented that “government said we should not collect duty on export. For example, Dangote exports cement, but pays no Kobo to government, thereby growing fatter while government grows leaner”.
“Coca-Cola produces globally, but it is only in Nigeria they pay nothing, Ali said.
On continued closure of land borders, Ali said it has improved the revenue of the government, but added that when Africa Free Trade Agreement comes into effect, the Service will not collect any import duty on goods produced by any African country and “our revenue will drop”.
He said the closure has forced importers to bring their goods through the sea border and promised to deploy more scanners.
“In the interim, we need the cooperation of neighbours as people have deviced means of smuggling these items in bites; women have tied them to their bodies as if pregnant.
According to him, the remedy is that “we must boost our export as I will prefer to collect duty on export”.
“Government must come up with good policies to provide for border communities as smugglers pay them well” thereby making them tactically supporting smugglers”.
