NEPZA Vows Crackdown On Illegal Container Imports, Insists FTZ Licences Are Not Optional
By Sunday Etuka
The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) has served notice that operators found smuggling containers into its Free Trade Zones through illegal channels will face the full weight of regulatory sanctions, as the Authority moves to tighten enforcement across its operations.
This warning came from the Authority’s Managing Director, Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi, in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by NEPZA’s Head of Corporate Communications, Dr. Martins Odeh.
Dr. Ogunyemi described the free trade zone operating licence as a binding legal obligation rather than a mere formality, calling it the bedrock of a fair and transparent trading environment.
He announced that, with immediate effect, the Authority would deepen its scrutiny of import documentation, step up inspections, work more closely with sister enforcement agencies, and apply the full range of penalties available under the law to anyone caught mis-declaring goods or routing containers through unauthorised means.
“Operators who circumvent lawful import and export procedures, mis-declare goods, or attempt to move containers through unauthorised channels should be in no doubt that such conduct will be identified and met with decisive regulatory action,” he said.
Dr. Ogunyemi explained that the tightened measures were meant to preserve the credibility of NEPZA’s systems, protect the public interest, and maintain fair conditions for businesses that play by the rules. Illegal importation, he warned, weakens legitimate trade, exposes communities to unregulated products, and chips away at public trust — consequences the Authority does not intend to tolerate.
While stressing that NEPZA’s regulatory approach has always been guided by fairness and transparency, the Managing Director insisted that any operator found culpable must answer to Nigerian law, while those with no involvement in wrongdoing should be allowed to continue operating without delay, in support of the economy and President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He was quick to note that most operators in the zones run their businesses honestly and contribute meaningfully to a well-regulated trade sector, and that their integrity should not be clouded by the actions of a dishonest few.
“The unlawful actions of a small minority must not be allowed to overshadow, discredit, or obstruct the achievements of the compliant majority. Our strengthened enforcement is directed precisely at those who break the rules, not at the many who uphold them,” Dr. Ogunyemi stated, adding that he had urged zone operators — both individually and through their association — to embrace self-regulation.
He further noted that the free trade zone scheme remains a significant revenue earner for government, and cautioned that neither the Federal Government nor operators should let the misconduct of a few tarnish the achievements built by the majority.
