The Nigeria Customs Service has launched a handbook aimed at navigating the complexities of importing renewable energy technologies into the country.
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, reckons that green energy importation poses a challenge to businesses and policymakers, hence the launching of the handbook.
Adeniyi stated this on Monday in Lagos during a two-day Stakeholders Consultative Forum, which also served as the official launch of the handbook.
Represented at the event by the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Tariff and Trade, Caroline Niagwan, Adeniyi noted that the move was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s championing policies that foster investment, ensure sustainability, and promote responsible industrial practices, as outlined in Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan.
Speaking at the event themed ‘Trade facilitation for renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, Adeniyi said, ‘This handbook is simply designed to simplify the process as well as help stakeholders have a smoother trade that would help us transition quickly to the adoption of cleaner energy in the future. There are several features in this handbook; key among them are customs regulations and tariff classification for renewable energy equipment.”
According to the CGC, the handbook features documentation requirements as well as step-by-step import procedures.
Speaking on the trade facilitation initiatives, he stated that the Advance Ruling System provides binding pre-arrival decisions on classification and valuation.
“By shifting decision-making to the pre-arrival stage, the system ensures greater predictability and reduces disputes and clearance delays. In alignment with this year’s theme, the NCS proudly supports the WCO Green Customs Initiative, which aims to facilitate the trade of environmentally sustainable goods,” he stressed.
He added that the Green Customs Initiative responds to the growing number of legally binding Multilateral Environmental Agreements and recognises the critical role customs play in enforcing them.
“Scientific evidence confirms that human activity, especially the burning of fossil fuels, has led to increasing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and CFCs. These emissions contribute significantly to global warming and environmental degradation. A key pillar of the Paris Agreement is the promotion of a sustainable, low-carbon future, driven by investment in renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies. As a signatory to the Paris Agreement, Nigeria is committed to transitioning towards cleaner and more efficient energy systems,” he emphasised.
He maintained that the NCS plays a pivotal role in supporting these national goals by “facilitating the importation of renewable energy technologies and enforcing fiscal measures that promote a shift away from fossil fuel dependency to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.”
Meanwhile, a beneficiary of the Advance Ruling System of the Service and also the logistics manager at CIG Motors, Mr Boniface Ekenedilichukwu, confirmed that the company has benefitted from the trade facilitation tools of the NCS, especially the Advanced Ruling.
“We have seen that for us and our business; it is transformative and dynamic. How does it support our business? To save on energy, our company wanted to import solar systems to support our power usage. What we did was go through the tariff books, and we saw the classifications and duty rates. We also went straight to the command to confirm duties; the CAC Compliance Team gave us the ruling, we went straight to apply on the portal, and we want to say a very big thank you to the customs team. During the clearing process, we spent just seven days to take delivery without any issues,” he narrated.
