Crude palm oil producers and processors in the country have called on the Federal Government to close its borders with the Republic of Benin for allegedly sabotaging Nigeria’s economic interest.
Specifically, the local producers are accusing the Benin Republic of importing palm oil more than it needs from Malaysia and exporting the surplus to Nigeria at the expense of the latter’s socio-economic gains.
Data available from the Malaysia Board on Palm Oil and indexmundi.com indicate that Benin Republic’s consumption was 135,000 tonnes of palm oil in 2018, its production was 60,000 while its deficit was 75,000 tonnes, but its import was 640,000 and its export, ironically, was 550,000 tonnes.
When contacted on the figure, the Plantation Owners Forum of Nigeria (POFON) said imports to other African countries were either smuggled or re-exported to Nigeria under the guise of products made in ECOWAS countries, thereby avoiding 35 per cent duty.
The association called on the Federal Government to either close the Benin Republic border or talk tough to the government to prevent smuggling and its devastating consequences on the Nigerian economy.
The data on importation to Nigeria and other African countries confirmed that Nigeria imported over 350,000 metric tonnes in 2018, and that Benin Republic in particular imported far more than its deficit, indicating that its palm oil import is smuggled into Nigeria as the largest market in Africa. That is apart from the smuggling of vegetable oil (which is banned in Nigeria), rice and tomato paste, to mention a few.
Regionally, in 2018, Nigeria produced 1,015,000 tonnes while the local demand was 1,340,000. The deficit was 325,000 tonnes while its importation was 350,000 tonnes.
In the same year, Ghana’s demand was 785,000 metric tonnes, its production was 520,000 tonnes, deficit was 265,000 tonnes and import was 320,000 tonnes, while the country exported 60,000 tonnes of palm oil, assumed to be smuggled into Nigeria.
Source
https://m.guardian.ng/features/how-benins-import-policy-threatens-nigerias-economy/
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