The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority has announced intensified enforcement against illegal container imports and other regulatory violations within the country’s Free Trade Zones.
NEPZA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Olufemi Ogunyemi said licences issued to Free Trade Zone operators are legal instruments carrying enforceable obligations.
The authority will increase physical inspections, examination of import and export documentation and coordination with other enforcement agencies.
Particular attention is being directed at misdeclaration of goods, attempts to move containers through unauthorised channels and circumvention of established import and export procedures.
NEPZA says offenders may face the sanctions prescribed under the applicable regulatory framework.
At the same time, the Authority has sought to distinguish non-compliant operators from businesses observing the rules, stating that legitimate enterprises should continue their operations without unnecessary disruption.
Free Trade Zones ordinarily operate under specialised fiscal, customs and regulatory arrangements designed to promote investment and export-oriented commerce.
Those incentives do not create a law-free environment.
The latest enforcement action underlines the distinction between enjoying Free Zone incentives and avoiding customs, documentation or licensing obligations.
For businesses and compliance professionals, container documentation, routing, declarations and licence conditions are likely to receive closer scrutiny.
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SOURCE: Lawyard
