Nigerian Ban on Used Tyres Too Late for Local Industry

Nigeria’s Customs and Excise Tariff Book for the period 2008–2012 has been presented. Amongst the many new measures being implemented in an effort to help the Africa nation’s economy is a ban on the importation of used tyres. However, in the opinion of many this measure may have come to late for the country’s domestic tyre industry.

“We also notice that the ban on the importation of used tyres may not really resuscitate local production,” comments the This Day newspaper. “The two major tyre companies have closed down, the last one mainly because of the country’s tariff structure and other production cost. With ban of used tyres, there will be additional pressure on supply, forcing people to smuggle in tyres.

The last tyre manufacturer in Nigeria, Dunlop, took the decision to cease manufacturing in July. The company’s factory in Lagos had supplied 15 per cent of the domestic market.