UK Trade Initiative Maintains 99% Duty-free For Nigerian Products

The United Kingdom has confirmed that Nigeria will maintain duty-free access for 99 per cent of its total exports to the UK market under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme.

This information was revealed in a statement issued on Friday by the Communications Office of the British High Commission.

The DCTS, which was introduced in June 2023, enables Nigeria along with 36 other African nations to export more than 3,000 goods to the UK either duty-free or with reduced tariffs, helping Nigerian enterprises expand and enhance their global competitiveness.

In addition, the UK’s scheme helps to cut import expenses for British companies and provides consumers with a broader selection of cost-effective goods.

British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr Richard Montgomery, remarked on the DCTS, saying, “As one of the UK’s most important partners in Africa, Nigeria stands at the heart of the UK’s global trade ambitions, and we want to strengthen the trade ties between our two great nations and unlock the power of sustainable and transformative growth in Nigeria and across emerging economies.

“A major advantage of the UK’s developing countries trading scheme is the reduction or complete elimination of duty-tariffs on everyday goods such as cashew nuts, cocoa, cotton, plantain, tomatoes, prawns, and sesame. This isn’t just about improved access into the UK market, it’s about building a fairer, freer global trading system that supports economic growth and job creation, both in developing countries and in the UK.”

Montgomery added, “Through the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership, we are continuing to work alongside the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to tackle export challenges and ensure the DCTS is fully leveraged by Nigerian businesses to improve trade growth between our two countries.”

The DCTS enables Nigerian exporters to ship products such as cocoa, yam, tomatoes, plantain, shrimp, and other agricultural goods to the UK with lower tariffs. It also promotes processed and value-added items like cocoa paste, cocoa butter, sesame, palm oil, cashew nuts, cotton clothing, and cocoa paste, supporting Nigeria’s shift from raw material exports.

This trade initiative is part of the UK’s broader strategy to strengthen economic connections globally, with recent trade deals also secured with major economies like India and the United States.

By the close of 2024, the total bilateral trade in goods and services between the UK and Nigeria reached £7.2bn, reflecting a 7.6 per cent decline, or £596m, compared to 2023.