LeoMax:

Nigeria can be on holiday all our lives, we are fuccking wealthy. Trade exchanges and interchanges are the links between nations and allies.

Are you ok? Do you have a fever? Arab countries have 5 times as much oil, and 10 times fewer people, yet they can't afford not to invest in their citizenry.  WHat makes you think we are any different.

Besides, trade exchange only occurs when you have something to trade. Raw materials will NEVER be as expensive as its processed/refined counterpart, and we willl always lose if all we export is raw material.

Nigeria could be likened to a young couple that has all biological reproductive organs in tact but has refused to MATE for the essence of production of their own off spring rather they prefer to adopt children.
Lets watch as the minds of our leader will trick them into inporting gravitational force as if it exist in advanced countries alone.

Let us be fair. The initial ban did not yield any profit. All the banned items were finding their way into the country at an outrageous cost for the nation and to the benefit of a massively corrupt Nigerian Customs. What we need now, is an encompassing Energy solution. Once it comes into effect, local companies and even investors will sprout up and kill the import regime naturally because imported goods are always heavily taxed. Any other approach will be a top-to-bottom one. I think it is time to allow things to be determined by free market factors.

jabbok:

Let us be fair. The initial ban did not yield any profit. All the banned items were finding their way into the country at an outrageous cost for the nation and to the benefit of a massively corrupt Nigerian Customs. What we need now, is an encompassing Energy solution. Once it comes into effect, local companies and even investors will sprout up and kill the import regime naturally because imported goods are always heavily taxed. Any other approach will be a top-to-bottom one. I think it is time to allow things to be determined by free market factors.

Not with Calabar Free Trade Zone and Lagos Free Trade Zone now open for business.

Cassava & toothpick

I dey laugh 

I believe the day we get the electricity generation aspect of our economy right, this will go a long way in having a low production cost and competitive pricing that will boost our local production and make export more appealing; this will surely be the antidote to the incessant and embarrassing volte face on importation regulations of tooth picks and its likes.

What is his immdiate plans for our local textile industries,other industries,unemployment and power supply?

Opening our borders to inferior goods the answer?

To me, this is a move in the right direction. With the so-called prohibition those things were coming and the custom people were making lots of money for their personal pockets (not for Government) and when you are not able to pay the millions they charged you, your goods will be confiscated.

As per cars of 15years, it is equally a good moves this is because as we are talking today the government of Benin Republic are the people benefiting from the prohibition. They make a lot of money from Nigerians who use their port to import those cars and yet the cars still come into Nigeria through the assistance of customs. Nigerians pay as much as 500,000 Cefas to clear a car from Cotonou port and pay our customs at borders as much as N20,000 to N30,000 to bring in those cars into Nigeria. People always buy cars '96/'98 models, with the ban, should such cars still be brought into Nigeria, yet they are brought in not even smuggled whilst the revenue go to Benin Republic govt & private pockets of customs, then Nigeria where the cars are used do not make anything, so who is fooling who?

Obasanjo goofed in that his policy but with the lifting of the ban by Jonathan, it will contribute towards our revenue increase!

ireneann:

Where are all the pre-order guys? Prices should come down henceforth

My  Broda  WHY  Pre - order  price  should  come  down  now ?  when  the  Dollar   Exchange rate   in  Nigeria , Buying  Rate in  USA and  the Import Duty  remain  the  same

We  just  have  options   of  bringing  in to  the  country cars   of 15yrs  old below ,

If  you  need  any  car  on  pre - order  i  promise  of  giving  you  the best  price , you  can  mail  me -sonetauto@yahoo.com

Of course every house should have a garage, a living room, a bed space, a kitchen and before I forget, a toilet. I dare you stop anyone from going there.

Why should the govt take us backward, because some custom officials still find ways to import these cars, cant they reform the customs. . .

I have always said Aganga is clueless i dont care where he is from, he is the worst finance minister Nigeria ever had!

Jonathan, you have already lost next elections no matter all the rigging you are planning.

We need to remove these guys come April b4 they destroy us!, why reverse this policy when you already have a nigerian car manaufacturing company. I bet its all for selfish reasons

God deliver us from the hands of PDP led governments!

I thank God immensely for a man like GEJ who has been the only President bold enough to call a spade a spade.

Let us stop deceiving ourselves. The bans did not stimulate any local production. They killed the industries they were supposed to help.

oludashmi:

Hmmnn

Importation of cassava unbanned
Importation of toothpick unbanned
Importation of textiles unbanned

But these are things we already produce or can produce very well in this country if only they can fix the power supply.
Still surprised why some pple see this as progressive

You are very right, we have cassave in surplus sef, talkless of toothpicks, and textiles.

This guy has dissappointed me completely, i thought he could make use of his 1yr and go. .infact he doesnt need the 1yr, 8 months is enough, he should pls go!

sonety2k:

Cassava  &  Toothpick   please  Ban  Them  ooooooooooooo

The question is which firm is producing toothpick in Nigeria. Do we have enough cassava in Nigeria to eat. How much is a cup of garri? Let the truth be told we can't feed our self. Mmmmmmmmm Nigerian need to wake up. Government ( Mmmmmm do we even have any ) can't do everything.

In retrospect, there is no economic sense for the ban as the rationale for it has been defeated by the results thus far. It just does not make any economic sense especially when one considers the fact that the ban has not had any positive effect on Nigeria's economy or her manufacturing sector. Instead, it has facilitated substantial smuggling and consequent rent seeking by Nigeria's customs and exercise.
According to the world bank study on Nigeria's restrictive trade policies, it was calculated that about #600 billion cargo of banned goods makes it past the face of Nigeria's customs and enter our market unofficially from cotonou. This figure represents 15% of Nigeria's annual import. Imagine the huge by the Nigerian government to Benin Rep?
Besides the sheer corruption that the ban has engendered, the current regime undermines the willingness of customs officials to decisively tackle reforms in the service. As a result, the operation cost of stopping smuggling activities at these boarders, especially with that of Benin Republic is extremely very high. According to the report, officially, 30% of cotonou port traffic is destined for Nigeria; unofficially, 75% of containers at the cotonou port are actually estimated to be headed for Nigeria. So tell me, what is the point of the ban? When more than 90% of this banned products still makes it to our markets and the government is the loser for it. From findings on how the smuggling is done; In the export countries the destination of the goods is Benin republic, on getting to cotonou port, the destination changes midway to Nigeria by revising the export papers.
According to the report, if the ban can be adjusted to limited products, over #60 billion which is about the current revenue collected by the Nigerian customs could be collected in addition to the current revenues.
Let's face facts, since the implementation of the ban in 2005 by the government of Obasanja, what has been the success story of our domestic production and capacity? So far, the bans have proven difficult to enforce, and it has had no serious tangible effect on domestic production. Take a look at our textile industry, despite the ban since 2005, there has not been any signs of improvement, instead, output has been declining and can't meet domestic demand. This is a sector that used to account for 27% of home textile market and 72% of west Africa's textile production. In fact, the size of the industry has gone from 175 textile firms back in the 1980s to a meagre 10 factories as at 2004. Employment from that sector has fallen from 350,000 to 40,000. Is it not obvious that protectionist economic policies are not working in our own case for so many reasons? Issues like power supply and transportation should take a driver seat in encouraging domestic production and improving capacity. Let us tackle those first before talking about protecting an economy whose manufacturing sector is almost non-existent. Jonathan has made a very good decision here lifting the bans, at least those monies that accrue to the Benin Repulic government and corrupt custom officials will now be accounted for.

Political move, to appease the Igbos. All na political strategy,

gogo123:

i cant believe this, don't this educationally less developed state propped up man have advisers, Aganga with all his Goldman Sach experience decided to turn a 3rd world country ridden with corruption into a certified dumping ground, Nigerian port workers are in jubilation

senseless post.

rather than make our economy more conducive for local manufacture by providing the much needed infrastructure, GEJ has chosen the easy out: importation. pity

To me I perceive this as a good move but I am a bit surprise that so many in the house called this move bad, political game and so on please fellow Nigeria what will a man do that will ever satisfy us?
Why is it that everything anybody is trying to do people must surely hang it on something to make it look as if it is a nonsense idea this is a serious problem to be honest.

Fed Govt. banned importation of vehicles year above 10 years and we produce no car in Nigeria the year that was allow are so expensive and it was only meant for the rich ones to buy them and the masses are suffering day and night and someone says let remove this ban still some still say why? This is a serious issue what is it in life that will ever satisfy us oh people of Nigeria?

Benin Republic are earning billions from our importers year by year from importation of vehicle and other goods and we locked our own gate is that not a s i l l i n e s s, we are drying our pocket and enrich neighbour pocket is this not madness? But thank God GEJ made this move am the most delighted person it doesnt matter whatever name anybody calls it God will bless GEJ.


I can see if many in this house are to be the president of Nigeria they will be so wicked even than Pol Pot of Cambodia, or Lennin of Russia because many are so heartless smiling when others are in pains. This Govt. action is never a flood gate or to mess the economy but to ease the poor masses so that the little they earn can afford them a simple life. GEJ God bless you I have be waiting for this for long Iam happy you do the right thing, people are really suffering out there just move on you will be there soon.

Its a good short term move.

Our ports lose a lot of revenue to Benin Republic as most of them items are smuggled in from there.

On the long run, especially when our local industries pick up again, we may have to place the embargo or increase tarrif on some of the finished goods that will compete unfairly against our locally produced items

dem_people:

Political move, to appease the Igbos. All na political strategy,

. . .I guess when OBJ banned them, it was aimed at crippling thesame Igbo peopl, right? Guy abeg be serious jare!
Go to Balogun market and co in Lagos and check if 80% of textile and co are locally made. Besides, Igbos do not dominate the textile industry, if you are referring to automotives then I say, shey na only Igbo dey drive cars?

and down goes the value of Naira. .  .down down down down!

open the floodgates, we are Nigerians, we are [i]i[/i]diots who don't give a shyt about our manufacturing companies and would rather import toothpicks and cassava from everywhere else.

I honestly believe Jonathan is nuts!

why can't we just get it right for once. . .fix the poser industry you[i] i[/i]diots, not increase consumption appetite of goods from abroad.

The move by the d president is ok, but d problem i hav with it, is dat i feel it was  politically motivated. d gov make laws without telling d people d economic benefit of making such laws. Businessess are not even given d time to adjust to any law made by d government.

But honestly these broom-like toothpick produced in naija leaves one unpleasant after-taste on one's tongue. I prefer the imported plastic type. Can't that type be done 10yrs since the ban? Naija manufacturers lacks quality and simple as that is, it's not the fault of power unavailability.

But honestly these broom-like toothpick produced in naija leaves one unpleasant after-taste on one's tongue. I prefer the imported plastic type. Can't that type be done 10yrs since the ban? Naija manufacturers lacks quality and simple as that is, it's not the fault of power unavailability.

good move ******************

**********BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER THEY SAID**********

@ Bisiaet many thanks for ur candid opinion to this topic u have spoken well infact u just took the words out of my mouth.

I imagine the heart of the negative minds here so black and their post/comment is like the venom of a cobra.

Godbless the positive minds on this forum!!!  

@NEGATIVE PEOPLE WHAT DO U WANT? PLS GET A LIFE.

Thank u GEJ because i cn nw start my clothing business in full force.

To me, this is a move in the right direction. With the so-called prohibition those things were coming and the custom people were making lots of money for their personal pockets (not for Government) and when you are not able to pay the millions they charged you, your goods will be confiscated.

As per cars of 15years, it is equally a good moves this is because as we are talking today the government of Benin Republic are the people benefiting from the prohibition. They make a lot of money from Nigerians who use their port to import those cars and yet the cars still come into Nigeria through the assistance of customs. Nigerians pay as much as 500,000 Cefas to clear a car from Cotonou port and pay our customs at borders as much as N20,000 to N30,000 to bring in those cars into Nigeria. People always buy cars '96/'98 models, with the ban, should such cars still be brought into Nigeria, yet they are brought in not even smuggled whilst the revenue go to Benin Republic govt & private pockets of customs, then Nigeria where the cars are used do not make anything, so who is fooling who?

Obasanjo goofed in that his policy but with the lifting of the ban by Jonathan, it will contribute towards our revenue increase!

brother i go with you but i must tell you that most Nairalanders just left college while some are adults that fail to trim the rough edges of their enlightenment so when i read opinions i understand why they say majority of Nigerians are illiterates.
The truth of the matter is that GEJ wants ibo votes and he is aware that the senseless policy has manacled the ibo economy so he is most likely trying to appease them.
It is a brilliant step in the right direction politics not withstanding.

obasanjo is a man without conscience and nothing about his policies were geared towards improving the lives of the masses, they were just a bunch of selfish interest but people don't understand that.
When he came up with his banning madness do you remember what he said?
he wants to protect local production but you and i know that banning was very far from the solution bearing in mind that he has invested so much on personal manufacturing companies thereby over looking the simple roles the govt could have employed to protect them
in other words it was geared towards protecting his own little investments unlike wot people think.

why wont a reasonable administration repeal an unproductive law? what have we achieved since those banning?
As old as OBJ is, he doesnt know what to do to protect local industries even toddlers have answers for him. how does withdrawing IBETO's operating licence protect local industries when he was doing exactly the same thing as Dangote?
same for the concession he gave to his cronies otedola and co so how does killing competition protect local industries and favor Nigerians in the long run? obviously, OBJ's brain went on retirement earlier than we thought
at the demise of Ajaokuta steel, Dana steel takes the lead, so are NITEL,Nigerian Airways just name it giving it up for TRANSCORP. same gimmicks of privatization and concession we lost all the free trade  ports to Atikus' INTELS. which local industries exactly are we protecting?

was OBJ not aware that an office that opens by 7:00am runs on Generator till 6:00pm, does he not know how much it eats into their profit?
Is he not aware that bank executives give loans meant for SME's to their cronies?
is he not aware that insecurity has driven away almost all the companies in the country?
Is he not aware that the land use act is a clog in the developmental wheel?
OBJ is as senseless as his face.
can he explain how importation affects local manufacture? and to what extent?

the problem our local industries have is COST OF PRODUCTION, in Naija it is very high of course because the govt is sleeping.if we reform our land use act so u can easily acquire one esp for setting up industries,
provide them with constant power,low interest on SME loans,a robust transport netwk for logistics (rail,road and water) etc then they are good to go
i bet nobody will be interested in the imported chinese junks.
correct me if i am wrong the preponderance of nigeria's imports are substandard made in China goods, why bother banning them when we can fix the above issues set a quality standard for them through SON (standard organisation of Naija) then market forces will ban them.
have we forgotten that made in naija Newclime and thermocool are better than the rest chinco products in the market, sure we don't need OBJ to tell us that, market forces will simply ban them only if we do the right thing.

I don't want to go into cars because that is where i believe OBJ deserves to face a firing squad. on setting the 10yr benchmark, he opened the gates for his cronies Briscoe, Elizade and Globe motors to be bringing in SA junks as toyota dealers while Dana motors and stallion concentrated on their korea junks while the fat bastard turns a blind eye as they slaughter the country with prices and substandard products.
can someone tell me exactly the coys we want to protect? Obj in his infinite wisdom never thought that toyota SA could have opened a plant in Naija, if only he set his priorities straight not only will it create jobs but will boost export, today SA manufactures and his cronies flood it into the country.

tell me how the policy changed the lives of Nigerians, perhaps a lot of us have not visited the auto section lately, no good vehicle is less than 1million naira lately a country with per-capital income of less than hundred dollars per person. we have a lot of mad people in power

As much as i don't want GEJ to contest for the presidency, i would have loved him to play a supervisory role during the elections but so far he seems more reasonable than the other simpletons.
ride on Jonathan, well done.