Customs Grants Over ₦60bn Duty Concessions to Boost Diaspora Investment, Partners NiDCOM on Humanitarian, Health Initiatives
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) granted over ₦60 billion in Customs duty concessions in 2025 as part of targeted efforts to attract diaspora investment into Nigeria’s healthcare sector, even as it forges a strategic partnership with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) to deepen structured engagement with Nigerians abroad.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during a courtesy visit by NiDCOM Chairman/CEO, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, to the Service Headquarters in Abuja, where both agencies reaffirmed their commitment to advancing national development through diaspora-driven interventions.
Adeniyi revealed that the concessions, introduced under the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2025, were aimed at reducing medical costs, discouraging outbound medical tourism, and incentivising investment in healthcare delivery systems.
“In 2025 alone, over ₦60 billion in Customs duty concessions were granted to entities involved in manufacturing or importing healthcare delivery systems. This is an area we would like Nigerians in the diaspora to key into. Government is deliberately giving up revenue to encourage investment in healthcare,” he said.
The CG explained that although revenue generation remains a core mandate of the Service, the NCS has become increasingly deliberate about trade facilitation, improving turnaround time at ports and airports, and reducing the cost of doing business to enhance overall revenue performance.
He noted that in the last three years, the Service developed guidelines establishing dedicated corridors for perishable and life-saving goods to ensure faster clearance and support critical sectors such as healthcare.
Earlier, Dabiri-Erewa briefed the Customs leadership on preparations for the 2026 Nigeria Diaspora Day, with a focus on the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative 2026 (DHII 2026), scheduled to hold from July 20 to 23 across multiple states, culminating in the National Diaspora Day celebrations in Abuja on July 25 and 26.
She highlighted challenges faced by diaspora Nigerians importing medical equipment and relief materials for genuine humanitarian purposes, calling for a structured framework, including waivers for medical and educational equipment, to support legitimate interventions.
Under the initiative, seven major diaspora medical associations will be deployed across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to conduct medical outreaches and specialised training, before converging in Abuja for the grand finale.
Dabiri-Erewa appealed for seamless collaboration in clearing medical equipment and supplies for the outreach, as well as moral, financial, and institutional support for the event. She also invited the Comptroller-General to participate in the Diaspora Quarterly Lecture Series and the Global Diaspora Summit scheduled to hold in Canada on August 12, 2026.
In response, Adeniyi assured that the Service would facilitate genuine humanitarian and medical outreach materials, subject to due process and proper documentation, including Import Duty Exemption Certificates from the Ministry of Finance.
“We will be willing to do anything for them that will enhance development back home and our reputation abroad as enablers and not impediments to their progress,” he stated.
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While cautioning against abuse of humanitarian channels, the CG welcomed proposals for joint training and sensitisation programmes for Customs officers on diaspora matters. He disclosed that the Service already operates a help desk that could serve as a focal point for diaspora-related engagements.
The meeting, attended by senior officials of both agencies, marks a significant step toward institutionalising structured collaboration between Customs and Nigeria’s diaspora community, reinforcing the Federal Government’s resolve to harness diaspora contributions for sustainable national growth.
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