Despite announcing ban on maize importation, the Nigerian Government has given approval to four companies to secretly import 262,000 tons of maize.
The government had in July added maize to the list of ‘41 banned items’.

Comptoller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Hamid Ali
The Central Bank of Nigeria had said that the decision was taken as part of its yearly efforts to control import and encourage local production.

“As part of efforts by the Central Bank of Nigeria to increase local production, stimulate a rapid economic recovery, safeguard rural livelihoods and increase jobs, which were lost as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, authorised dealers are hereby directed to discontinue the processing of 'Form M' for the importation of maize/corn with immediate effect,” O.S Nnaji, CBN’s Director in charge of Trade and Exchange Department, said in a circular seen by SaharaReporters.

Documents seen by SaharaReporters, however, revealed that a month after the ban, Wacot Limited, Chi Farms Limited, Crown Flour Mills Limited and Premier Feed Mills Limited were given approval to import maize into the country at specific capacities.

Both Wacot and Chi Farms Limited are subsidiaries of Tropical General Investments Group.

“I am directed to refer to the above subject matter. In line with government policy on food security, sufficiency and striking a balance between food security and local production capacity to meet anticipated shortfall, the Central Bank of Nigeria has granted approval to the underlisted companies to import maize in the quantities stated below:

“Wacot Limited 30,000 tons, Citi Bank
Wacot Limited 30,000 tons, Chi Farms Limited 60,000 tons, Titan Trust Bank,
Crown Flour Mills Limited 22,000 tons, Coronation Bank,
Premier Feed Mills Limited 120,000 tons, Zenith Bank.

“Note: Approval is strictly for the companies listed above and stemmed to the months of August, September and October alone. Given the clarification, all CACs are directed to note the above companies, approved companies, duration and jerque accordingly. Please be guided,” an internal circular signed by one TM Isa on behalf of the controller of Customs read.

On Thursday, Nigeria's President, Muhammadu Buhari, said he had approved the disbursement of 30,000 tons of maize from the national reserves to animal feed producers.


http://saharareporters.com/2020/09/03/despite-ban-nigerian-government-secretly-permits-four-companies-import-maize/

A Pan-Africa non-governmental organisation (NGO), Feed Africa Advocacy Network (FAAN) has declared that the recent border closure by the federal government which has triggered an astronomical increase in the prices of some food has exposed the reality that Nigeria is far from meeting domestic needs.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/10/12/border-closure-exposes-nigerias-deficiency-in-local-rice-production-2/amp/

The lied about the nation's self sufficiency in food production but alas it remains the usual lies and propaganda they have been ruling the nation with.

They went to borrow grain from ECOWAS to feed who? They closed borders but local production is nothing to write home about.The only refreshing thing about the APC government is the frankness of its dishonesty.

APShits

Most of the billionaires you see today.., the Dantaatas and the dangotes made their billions through the twin evils known as "import waivers" and "import licences"... There was a time in the recent past when dangote and a few others were solely in possession of the import licences to bring in rice and flour to this over abused country.. This was the originating point of their "Monopoly mentality" you see today...

If you are not intoo trade, you won't understand how huge this is. Believe me if you are given the sole license of bringing any stuff into this country, with the huge population, you are instantly a billionaire! Imagine when such basics like sallt, flour, rice etc are involved.. How the government considered this right, one can't tell.. It was Abacha that stopped that because he wanted his late son to compete with the Dangotes. Anti-corruption buhari came to power in the 80s and did nothing to stop that. Now, the same practice is surfacing again...

We know that Nigeria isn’t yet self sufficient in maize production, the federal government is just concealing the reality with lies.

Yet, this has been part of their success jingle

corruption

Rugaria:
Most of the billionaires you see today.., the Dantaatas and the dangotes made their billions through the tein evils known as "import waivers" and "import licences"... There was a time in the recent past when dangote and a few others were solely in possession of the import licences to bring in rice and flour to this over abused country.. This was the originating point of their "Monopoly mentality" you see today...

If you are not intoo trade, you won't understand how huge this is. Believe me if you are given the sole license of bringing any stuff into this country, with the huge population, you are instantly a billionaire! Imagine when such basics like sallt, flour, rice etc are involved.. How the government considered this right, one can't tell.. It was Abacha that stopped that because he wanted his late son to compete with the Dangotes. Anti-corruption buhari came to power in the 80s and did nothing to stop that. Now, the same practice is surfacing again...

Buhari is the king of import waivers. Himself and his friends don't see it as corruption. Same way he keeps the two forex rates so that his BDC friends can buy at official rate and sell on black market

with excess liquidity any company can reach out to the larger maket and their controllers. In 2016 Chi owned by TGI sold off 40% of its shares to Cocacola and 2019 they hands over chi Ltd finally to cocacola by collecting 30billion+ in naira.
Now with this war chest, they can penetrate any deal. its ok truth be told Nigeria have no business banning maize imports since we dont produce sufficiently nor have taken good steps to produce suffi iently... afterall its still hoe and knive in most farms . I am not happy with the way things are moving in the economy.

You see
There's nothing like integrity in this government except if integrity means something else

Na their way, can't trust the government

Hypocrites they allow their cronies import while the masses are banned. We don't yet have the capacity to produce enough for our population, demand would outweigh supply leading to price hike. But bubu can't understand this basic economics