Customs Prohibition list image
There is a list of items banned by Nigeria customs which most importers are not fully aware of. Sometimes, this could lead to the goods been forfeited because they are regarded as contraband (which no importer wants). that is why it is very important to understand the technicalities and know what should be brought into the country without disobeying any rule. here we have two schedules (schedule 3 & 4). schedule 3 comprises a list of items originally in the C.E.T (Tariff book) but has now been prohibited to be brought into the country. schedule 4 is comprised of items which has always been prohibited to be brought into the country.

SCHEDULE3 REVISED PROHIBITION LIST (TRADE)
  1. Live or dead birds including frozen poultry H.S Code 0105.1100-0105.9900, 0106.3100-0106.3900, 0207.1100-0207.3600 and 0210.9900.
  2. Pork, beef, H.S code 0201.1000-0204.5000, 0206.9000, 0210.1000-0210.2000.
  3. Bird Eggs H.S code 0407.0000, excluding hatching eggs.
  4. Refined vegetable oil 1507.1000.00-1516.2000.29 but excluding refined linseed, castor and olive oil. Crude vegetable oil is however NOT banned from importation.
  5. Cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose, in solid form containing added flavoring or coloring matter H.S code 170.91.10.00-1701.99.90.00 in retail packs.
  6. Cocoa butter, powder and cakes H.S odes 1802.0000-1803.2000,1 805.0010.00-1805.0090.00, 1806.1000-1806.2000 and 1804.000.
  7. Spaghetti/noodles H.S code 1902.1100-1902.3000.
  8. Fruit juice in retail packs H.S code 2009.110012-2009.110013-2009.9000.99
  9. Waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing added sugar or sweetening matter or flavored, ice snow H.S codes 2201.1000-2201.9000, other non-alcoholic beverages H.S codes 2202.1000-2202.9000.99 (but excluding energy or health drinks- liquid dietary supplements e.g. power horse, red ginseng, etc) H.S Code 2202.9000.91, Beer and stout (Bottled, canned or otherwise packed) H.S code 2203.0010.00-2203.0090.00.
  10. Bagged Cement H.S code 2523.2900.22
  11. Medicament falling under Headings 3003 & 3004 such as:
  12. Paracetamol tablets and syrups
  13. Cotrimozazole tablets and syrups
  14. Metronidazole tablets and syrups
  15. Chloroquine tablets and syrups
  16. Haematinic formulations:
  17. Ferrous sulphate and ferrous gluconate tablets
  18. Folic acid tablets
  • Vitamin B Complex tablets (except modified release formulations)
  1. Multivitamin tablets, capsules and syrups ( except special formulations)
  2. Aspirin tablets (except modified release formulations and soluble aspirin)
  3. Magnesium trisilicate tablets and suspensions
  4. Piperazine tablets and syrups
  5. Levamisole tablets and syrups
  6. Clotrimazole Cream
  7. Ointments penicillin/gentamycin
  8. Pyrantel pamoate tablets and syrups
  9. Intravenous Fluids (Dextrose, Normal Saline etc)
  10. Waste pharmaceuticals H.S code 3006.9200
  11. Soaps and Detergents H.S code 3401.1110-3402.9000 (in retail packs only).
  12. Mosquito repellant coils H.S code 3808.9110.91
  13. Sanitary wares of Plastics H.S code 3922.1000-3922.9000 and Domestic articles and wares of plastic H.S code 3924.1000-3924.9090.00 (but excluding Baby feeding Bottles 3924.9020.00) and (flushing ceinstern and waterless toos toilets)
  14. Rethreaded and used pneumatics tyres but excluding used trucks tyres for rethreading- size 11.0×20 and above (4012.2010.00).
  15. Corrugated paper and Paper boards H.S Code 4808.1000 as well as cartons, boxes and cases made of corrugated paper and paper boards H.S Code 4819.1000. Toilet paper, cleansing or facial tissue papers- H.S Code 4818.1000 to 4818.9000 but excluding baby diapers and incotinent pads for adult use-4818.4000.41 and exercise Books-H.S 4820.2000.
  16. Telephone Recharge Cards and Vouchers- 4911.9990.91.
  17. Carpets and other textile floor coverings HS code 5701.10.00.00 to 5705.00.00.00
  18. All types of foot wears, bags and suitcases, HS code 6401.1000.11-6405.9000.99 and 4202.1100.10-4202.9900.99, but excluding safety shoes used in oil industries, sport shoes, canvas shoes and all Completely Knocked Down (CKD), blanks and parts.
  19. Hollow glass bottles of a capacity exceeding 150mls (0.15 litres) of all kind used for packaging of beverages by Breweries and other beverages and drinks companies- HS Code 7010.9021.29 and 7010.9031.00.
  20. Used compressors HS Code 8414.3000, Used Air conditioners HS Code 8415.1000.11 to 8415.9000.99 and used Refrigerators/Freezers HS Code 8418.1000.11 to 8418.6900.
  21. Used motor vehicles above fifteen (15) years from the year of manufacture HS Code 8703.1000 to 8703.9000.
  22. Furniture HS Code 9401.1000.00 to 9401.9000.99 and 9403.1000 to 9404.9000, but excluding baby walkers, laboratory cabinets such as microscope tables, fume cupboards, laboratory benches (9403), stadium chairs, height adjustment device, base sledge, seat frames and control mechanism, arm guide and head guides. Also excluded are skeletal parts of furniture such as blanks, upholstered or unfurnished parts of metal, plastics, veneer, chair shell etc. Also excluded are Motor vehicle seats (9401.2000.00) and seats other than garden seats or camping equipment, convertible into beds (9401.4000.00).
  23. Ball point pen and parts including refill (excluding tip) HS Code 9608.10.00.00.
Note- Trade goods are deemed to be goods imported by way of trade and include those goods which are:
  1. Imported in pursuance of a contract of sale
  2. Imported on consignment;
  3. Purchased by a private individual or
  4. Supplied by a parent company or associated firm for use by the importing firm.
The following are excluded from the category of trade goods:-
  1. Passengers’ baggage accepted as such by the Board;
  2. bona fide gifts;
  3. Government and quasi-government importations;
  4. Small quantities of goods imported for personal use.
SCHEDULE 4 GOODS: THE IMPORTATION OF WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITED 
PART 1 :ABSOLUTE PROHIBITION (OTHER THAN TRADE)
  1. Air pistols
  2. Airmail photographic printing paper
  3. All counterfeit/pirated materials or articles including base or counterfeit coin of any country
  4. Beads composed of inflammable celluloid or other similar substances
  5. Blank invoices
  6. Coupons for foreign football pools or other betting arrangements
  7. Cowries
  8. Exhausted tea or tea mixed with other substances. For the purpose of this item, ‘exhausted tea’ means any tea which has been deprived of its proper quality, strength or virtue by steeping infusion, decoction or other means.
  9. Implements appertaining to the reloading of cartridges.
  10. Indecent or Obscene prints, paintings, books, cards, engravings or any indecent or obscene articles.
  11. Manilas
  12. Matches made with white phosphorous
  13. Materials of any description with a design which, considering the purpose for which any such material is intended to be used, is likely in the opinion of the President to create a breach of the peace or to offend the religious views of any class of persons in Nigeria.
  14. Meat, vegetables or other provisions declared by a health officer to be unfit for human consumption.
  15. Piece goods and all other textiles including wearing apparel, hardware of all kinds crockery and china or earthenware goods bearing inscriptions (whether in Roman or Arabic characters) from the Koran or from the traditions and commentaries on the Koran.
  16. Pistols disguised in any form.
  17. Second-hand clothing.
  18. Silver or metal alloy coins not being legal tender in Nigeria.
  19. Nuclear Industrial waste and other toxic waste.
  20. Spirits-
  21. Other than-
  • Alcoholic bitters, liquers, cordials and mixtures admitted as such in his discretion by the Comptroller-General and which are not deemed to be injurious spirits within the meaning of any enactment or law relating to liquor or liquor licensing.
  • Brandy, i.e. a spirit-
  • Distilled in grape-growing countries from fermented grape juice and from no other materials, and
  • Stored in wood for a period of three years
  • Drugs and medicinal spirits admitted as such in his discretion by the comptroller general
  • Gin, i.e. a spirit
  • Produced by distillation from a mixed mash of cereal grains only saccharified by the diastase of malt and then flavored by re-distillation with juniper berries and other vegetable ingredients and of a brand which has been notified as an approved brand by notice in the Gazette and in containers labeled with the name and address of the owner of the brand, or
  • Produced by distillation at least three times in a pot-still from mixed mash or barley, rye and maize saccharified by the diastase of malt and then rectified by re-distillation in a pot-still after the addition of juniper berries and other vegetable materials,
  • Methylated or denatured spirit, i.e-
  • Mineralized methylated spirit mixed as follows- to every ninety parts by volume of spirits nine and one-half parts by volume of wood naphtha or Bitrex and one-half of one part by volume of crude pyridine and to every 455 litres of the mixture, 1.7 litres of mineral naphtha or petroleum oil and not less than 0.7 grammes by weight of powdered aniline dye (methyl violet) and so in proportion for any quantity less than 455 litres;
  • Industrial methylated spirits imported under licence from the comptroller general and mixed as follows:- to every ninety-five parts by volume of spirits, five parts by volume of wood naphtha or Bitrex and also one-half of one part by volume of the mixture and
  • Spirits denatured for a particular purpose in such a manner as the comptroller general in any special circumstance may permit;
  • Perfumed spirits
  • Rum, i.e. a Spirit
(i) Distilled direct from sugar-cane products in sugar-cane growing countries, and(ii) Stored in wood for a period of three years.
  • Spirits imported for medical or scientific purposes, subject to such conditions as the Comptroller-General may prescribe;
  • Spirits totally unfit for use as potable spirits admitted to entry as such in the discretion by the Comptroller-General; and
  • Whisky, i.e. a spirit-
(i) Obtained by distillation from a mash or cereal grains saccharified by the diastase of malt; and(ii) Stored in wood for a period of three years.
  1. Containing more than forty-eight and one-half per centum of pure alcohol by volume except denatured, medicated and perfumed spirits, and such other spirits which the Comptroller-General, in his discretion, may allow to be imported subject to such conditions as he may see fit to impose.
  2. Weapons of any description which in the opinion of the Comptroller-General are designed for the discharge of any noxious liquid, gas or other similar substance and any ammunition containing or in the opinion of the Comptroller-General or adapted to contain any noxious liquid, gas or other similar substances.
NOTE: This information is subject to change. To find more about the Nigeria Customs Service Import Prohibition list, visit: https://www.customs.gov.ng/ProhibitionList/import.php