Respite as come the way of foods and drugs importers as the Central Bank of Nigeria has approved a temporary window allowing them to use expired National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control licences for import documentation.
This has offered a short-term relief to businesses affected by the recent system changes in Nigeria’s trade processing framework.
In a circular issued on January 26, 2026, by its Trade and Exchange Department and published on the bank’s website, the CBN said authorised dealer banks may continue to process Form M applications with NAFDAC licences that expired on December 31, 2025.
The approval, which takes effect immediately, will run for two months and lapse on February 28, 2026.
The circular, signed by Aliyu M. Ashiru for the Director of the Trade and Exchange Department, read, “The Central Bank of Nigeria wishes to notify all Authorised Dealer Banks and the general public of a temporary dispensation offered by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control permitting the continued use of NAFDAC licences that expired on 31st December, 2025, for the processing of Forms M for a two-month temporary dispensation ending February 28, 2026.”
The apex bank explained that the approval followed a temporary dispensation granted by NAFDAC and applies strictly to Form M processing during the period. It said the measure was necessitated by operational challenges linked to the migration from the legacy Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System II platform.
According to the CBN, importers have been unable to validate or renew NAFDAC licences since the transition, particularly due to difficulties encountered on the B’Odogwu platform after December 2025.
The CBN stressed that the arrangement is time-bound and urged banks to comply strictly with its terms, noting that the approval would lapse automatically on February 28, 2026. It added that the move is intended to ensure continuity in trade transactions while NAFDAC completes the integration of its systems with the National Single Window.
Earlier in October 2025, The PUNCH reported that the Federal Government announced a decisive step toward digitalising and streamlining the nation’s import and export processes with the formal unveiling of the National Single Window and a new Trade Facilitation Portal.
The initiative, championed by the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, is expected to drastically reduce bureaucracy, enhance transparency, and improve Nigeria’s global trade competitiveness.
The National Single Window is a single, centralised digital platform where all stakeholders, including customs and regulatory agencies, importers, and exporters, can submit standardised trade and regulatory documentation.
The government has set a firm target for the National Single Window to become fully operational by the first quarter of 2026, specifically in March 2026.
