Nigeria’s import ban on 25 items sparks concern in US market - Daily Trust (2025)

The items include live or dead birds including frozen poultry, pork and beef, bird eggs, refined vegetable oil, cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose in solid form; cocoa butter, powder and cakes, spaghetti and noodles, and fruit juice in retail packs.

Other banned items include water, other non-alcoholic beverages, beer and stout; bagged cement, medicament, waste pharmaceuticals, soaps and detergents, mosquito repellent coils, sanitary wares of plastics, rethreaded and used pneumatics tyres, corrugated paper and paper boards, and recharge cards and vouchers.

On March 26, 2025, the federal government said plans are underway to halt the importation of solar panels to promote local manufacturing and accelerate Nigeria’s transition to clean energy.

However, in a post on X on Monday, the US agency highlighted the impacts of the government’s import ban, describing it as “Unfair trade practices faced by American exporters.”

The agency said, “Nigeria’s import ban on 25 different product categories impacts U.S. exporters, particularly in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, beverages and consumer goods.”

The USTR warned that the policies create significant trade barriers that lead to lost revenue for US businesses looking to expand in the Nigerian market.

“Restrictions on items like beef, pork, poultry, fruit juices, medicaments, and spirits limit U.S. market access and reduce export opportunities.

“These policies create significant trade barriers that lead to lost revenue for U.S. businesses looking to expand in the Nigerian market,” the agency said.

Apart from Nigeria, the US agency also named India, Thailand, Kenya, Angola, Algeria, and the European Union for various trade restrictions that collectively impact billions of dollars in potential U.S. exports.

These include India’s ethanol import ban, Kenya’s 50% tariff on U.S. corn, and the EU’s new environmental compliance rules, which the USTR argues disadvantage American producers.

Angola’s recent announcement to restrict import licenses for poultry and meat products by July 2025 also drew attention, given that Angola is the largest market for U.S. poultry on the African continent.

The USTR emphasised that such practices threaten the viability of American businesses, from farmers and fishers to manufacturers and pharmaceutical firms.

In some cases, the agency linked the impact of these restrictions to job losses and the closure of businesses across the United States.

The USTR slammed China in particular for mass-producing American flags, thus causing losses for American manufacturers.

“Over 100,000 Chinese-made American flags are sold every month on just one e-commerce platform alone, resulting in $2 million in lost sales for American manufacturers, which ultimately leads to lost job opportunities and business closures.

“American flags should be Made in America,” it stated.

The USTR said India also banned imports of U.S. ethanol for fuel use, similar to what Thailand did by restricting imports of fuel ethanol, requiring approval and issuance permit.

Reacting, Lukman Otunuga, Senior Market Analyst at Form, said though Nigeria’s government has decided to stand down on any retaliation, it remains to be seen whether this is a strategic move to prevent further tariffs from the United States.

“Nevertheless, these tariffs may impact growth given how Nigeria’s exports to the US have ranged between $5-6 billion annually.”

“One could argue that Nigeria is somewhat insulated given how over 90% of exports are comprised of crude oil and gas products. Nevertheless, growing concerns around Trump’s trade war tipping the global economy into a recession is a major risk for emerging markets.

“Beyond trade developments, Nigeria remains exposed to volatile oil prices. Last week, Brent and WTI both recently logged their steepest weekly losses in over a year. Oil prices remain pressured by deepening trade tensions and OPEC+ announcing an unexpectedly large supply boost. Crude oil has shed over 13% this month, dragging year-to-date losses closer to 15%. Such a development may complicate the government’s ability to implement the 2025 budget based on oil prices at $75 a barrel.

“The sharp selloff in oil could mean more pain for the Naira which is among the worst performing emerging market currencies. Naira has shed 4% year-to-date versus the dollar and may extend losses if lower oil translates to falling foreign exchange reserves.

“On the data front, Nigeria will reveal its latest inflation figures in mid-April. Back in February, the annual inflation rate dropped to 23.2% to its lowest level since June 2023 while food inflation also cooled to 23.5% – its lowest rate since September 2022. While the decline in CPI has been attributed to a technical adjustment, further signs of cooling price pressures could spark discussions around potential CBN rate cuts in the second half of 2025,” he said in a statement.