Can the ban on imported frozen chicken and turkey be sustained? That is a million-dollar question waiting for an answer.

Reading a story recently on the Federal Government’s ban for the umpteenth time of imported frozen chicken and turkey in the national dailies, Mrs Nkeiruka Nweke, who was planning for her daughter’s wedding next week, became worried that the products would become scarce and more expensive, because frozen chicken and turkey were her first choice as long as jollof rice was concerned.

Agitated, the mother of the bride-to-be, drove to the retail outlet of one of the big importers of frozen chicken and turkey located in Surulere, Lagos, to find out if the products were still available and the current price.

To her surprise and relief, she was told that a carton of ‘Orobo’ chicken was still being sold for N49, 000 which had been the price and that the price of turkey had not changed, as it remained N96,000 per carton.

Relieved, she told the sellers that she had thought that with the government’s recent reiteration of the ban, the prices of the goods would have gone up.

Surprised, the sellers told her that they were not aware of any recent ban and that, in fact, they went across the borders a day before, and met no hitches, so it was business as usual.

Perplexed, she went to other outlets in Ijora, and the stories were the same.

The Nation gathered that industry players were not aware of the new directive from the government, and even if they were, not bothered by the ban.

The federal government recently released an updated schedule of prohibited trade items, signalling a firm stance on the protection of domestic industries and the management of foreign exchange.

The Revised Import Prohibition List, dated April 1, 2026, details seventeen major categories of goods that are now strictly barred from entering the country through any port of entry.

This latest directive from the Federal Ministry of Finance carries significant implications for importers, clearing agents, and the general public, as it covers a vast range of products from basic food staples to essential life-saving medications.

Among the most sensitive inclusions in the document is the extensive list of prohibited medicaments under HS Codes 3003.10.00.00 through 3004.90.90.00. The government has placed a total ban on the importation of common pharmaceutical products, including paracetamol tablets and syrups, metronidazole, cotrimoxazole, and chloroquine.


Other widely used health products, such as multivitamin capsules, aspirin, folic acid, and various ointments like penicillin and gentamicin, are now restricted to local manufacturers. This move places the responsibility for the nation’s primary healthcare supply firmly on the shoulders of the domestic pharmaceutical sector, while the importation of pharmaceutical waste under HS Code 3006.92.00.00 remains strictly forbidden.

The agricultural and food sectors face equally stringent restrictions intended to bolster food security and local farming. The list confirms that live or dead birds, including frozen poultry under HS Codes 0105.1100 to 0210.99.00.00, remain banned.

This extends to pork, beef, and bird eggs, though the government has allowed exclusion for hatching eggs of grandparent stock intended for research and breeding purposes.

Furthermore, refined vegetable oils in retail packs of five litres or less, encompassing soya-bean, palm, and sunflower oils, are prohibited, although crude vegetable oil and specific fats like hydrogenated vegetable fats under HS 1516.20.10.00 are permitted to enter the country for industrial use.

In the retail and consumer goods category, the prohibition covers cane or beet sugar in retail packs and chemically pure sucrose containing added flavouring or colouring.

The cocoa industry is also shielded, with cocoa butter, powder, and cakes, as well as chocolate preparations in blocks or bars exceeding two kilograms, listed as prohibited items.

Other household essentials now restricted to local production include tomato paste and whole tomatoes put up for retail sale, as well as mineral and aerated waters.

The hygiene sector is notably impacted, with all forms of soaps and organic surface-active products, commonly known as detergents, now barred from importation under HS Codes 3401.11.10.00 through 3402.90.00.00 when intended for retail sale.

Even everyday stationery is affected, as ballpoint pens and their refills are barred from importation, though the government has made a specific concession for the importation of pen tips. Industrial and construction materials have not been left out of the revised trade policy.

Bagged cement remains on the prohibited list under HS Code 2523.29.00.00, alongside NPK 15:15:15 fertilisers and similar variants. The packaging industry sees a continued ban on corrugated paper, paper boards, and cartons, while the glass industry is protected by a prohibition on hollow glass bottles with a capacity exceeding 150 millilitres.

Additionally, flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, specifically corrugated sheets wider than 600 millimetres, are restricted.

However, this will not be the first time the government has banned any of these products, especially chicken and turkey.

The Government had banned frozen poultry meat importation since 2003 during the time of President Obasanjo, so retailers and importers of the products have been doing so illegally. If that is the case, what is stopping the government from arresting them and enforcing the ban?

Investigations revealed so many things, including massive smuggling across porous borders. High volumes of frozen poultry are smuggled, particularly through land borders, making it difficult for agencies like NAFDAC to track all imports.

There is insufficient local production capacity to meet high demand. Imported chicken is often cheaper than locally produced alternatives, making it popular, especially during inflationary periods, despite warnings regarding health risks.

Local farmers face high input costs (feed, energy) and limited infrastructure, making them unable to meet the nation’s high demand. The high cost of poultry feed and lack of financing hinder local capacity, leading to reliance on the smuggled products.

Despite repeated bans by the government, smuggling remains profitable, with products openly sold in supermarkets, corner shops, big warehouses and the local markets.