Nigeria And Needless Imports

The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, was re
cently reported to have advised the Organised Private Sector (OPS) on some economic issues, including the need to review the goods that should be allowed for importation into the country.
Emefiele was bothered that the Naira was increasingly coming under pressure as the demand for the dollar was becoming unserviceable. He particularly blamed this on the speculative activities of foreign exchange market operators and noted that the CBN may consider withdrawing dollar backing for the importation of goods that can be manufactured locally.
According to him, government should no longer allow the importation of commodities like toothpick, sugar, fish, rice, tomato paste, furniture and petroleum products in the interest of the Nigerian economy.
The CBN governor’s advice was necessitated by the observed panic in the business community, which he accused of making too much dollar demand in order to stockpile foreign merchandise for fear that the nation’s external reserve was fast depleting due to the falling crude oil price.
Local production of the above listed goods will not only boost the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), it will also create new jobs and re-enforce the value chain, while reducing the demand for the foreign exchange to pay for such non-essential imports.
Emefiele also charged his audience to take a cue from Alhaji Aliko Dangote who has pratically moved Nigeria from a cement importing country to an exporter of the commodity and is also on the verge of completing a $9 billion petrochemical project that has the capacity to stop the nation’s dependence on imported fuel. He said the CBN was ready to financially support serious entrepreneurs who embark on local production of hitherto imported products.
The Tide supports the proposal of the CBN boss as the appetite for the dollar has since gone beyond the need for the importation of all consumables into supporting social abuse.
What with the way Nigerians now spray dollars at weddings and some corporate bodies award contracts in dollars, while local politicians finance their campaigns and other electioneering activities with foreign currencies, especially the American greenback.
Again, just as the nation has not been able to revert to the use of coins alongside its bank notes even after several attempts, the ‘dollarisation’ of the Nigerian economy may be difficult to reverse, if not checked now.
Suspension of dollar allocation or the  importation of certain commodities means that importers of such items would need to look elsewhere for the foreign exchange to pay for their goods. And since exchange rates are usually prohibitive outside the apex bank’s official windows, it then means that such imports will come in at higher rates and also sell at exorbitant prices against their local equivalents.
“We need to begin to look at the structure of our economy and tell ourselves that as we stopped importation of cement and as we are exporting cement, we can do the same andencourage those who are ready to produce to support the economy and help conserve our reserves and ultimately keep our exchange rate strong … “ Emefiele said.
The dollar is, indeed, a major international currency the possession of which confers a lot of advantages on its holder, but Nigerians must be patriotic and not use the foreign currency to further weaken the nation’s already prostrate economy. Even as we support the withdrawal of dollar backing for some needless imports, we suggest that government should look at the factors that predispose Nigerians to the lure of the dollar.
This is to say that the appetite and preference for foreign goods must be reviewed.
Our local manufacturers must be assisted to produce good quality commodities that can compete favourably with others from elsewhere in the world, while the business class should be advised against the temptation of believing that their merchandise must bear foreign labels in order to attract good patronage in Nigeria.