Nigeria Customs Seizes N908m Rice in Q1 2026

In the first quarter of 2026, Nigeria's Customs recorded rice smuggling seizures valued at N908 million, with a total of 286 cases documented from January to March. The total duty paid value (DPV) for the intercepted consignments was N1.38 billion.

February accounted for the highest volume of seizures, with Customs intercepting 6,301 bags of rice across 127 cases, valued at N360.11 million, resulting in an estimated duty payment of N200.69 million. In contrast, March saw a decline in seizures to 4,884 bags across 95 cases, representing a 29% drop from February.

The DPV for March was N472.21 million. Eugen Nweke, head of research at the Sea Empower Research Centre (SEREC), noted that rice smuggling is largely driven by market realities, including supply shortages and price differences with neighboring countries.

He emphasized the need for a comprehensive review of rice import policies and increased investment in local rice production to reduce dependence on imports.