Phone Traders Oppose ₦4,000 Import Fees, Demand 90-Day Suspension

The Association of Mobile Phones and Allied Products Traders of Nigeria (AMPAT) has demanded a 90-day suspension of fees imposed on imported mobile phones, warning that the policy could force shops to close and threaten millions of jobs across the country.

The association said traders were being charged about N670 for each small phone and nearly N4,000 for bigger devices, raising concerns over the impact on businesses and consumers, particularly low-income earners who depend on affordable and refurbished phones.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, the association’s Kano State Chairman, Jamilu Bala Gama, who spoke on behalf of the National President, Sani Tasiu Ibrahim, said the traders supported efforts to register phones to curb counterfeiting and the use of stolen devices.

However, he faulted the implementation of the policy, demanding that the authorities disclose the legal basis for the charges and identify the private company receiving the fees.

• ‘It’s far better when a northerner rules’, Davido’s aide picks Atiku over Tinubu
• FG taking steps against Schools Increasing Examination Fees — WAEC

“We support the registration of phones. We want fake phones out of this country. We want stolen phones to become useless. We want criminals to have nowhere to hide.

“But there is another thing happening that nobody is talking about, and that is why we are here today,” he said.

Gama said the charges could significantly increase the cost of low-priced phones, citing the example of a device sold for N10,000 that could attract a fee of nearly N4,000 before reaching the market.

He questioned the legality and transparency of the charges, saying the association had yet to be shown the law authorising them or the official fee schedule.

“Where is that money going? To a private company. Which company? Nobody knows. Under what law? Nobody has seen it. We have asked. They have not shown us,” he said.

The association warned that the policy could affect businesses throughout the mobile phone supply chain, including retailers, technicians, repairers, transporters and apprentices who depend on the trade for their livelihoods.

According to Gama, phone traders contribute billions of naira to the economy through customs duties, taxes and commercial transactions, while investing in shops, warehouses, vehicles and distribution networks across the country.

He expressed concern that increased operating costs could force small businesses to shut down and leave young people who depend on apprenticeships and phone repairs without sources of income.

“If this policy is implemented as it is, it is those millions of youths — our young people, our apprentices, our boys and girls who have just learnt a trade and opened their first small shop — who will lose their jobs,” he said.

The traders outlined five demands, including a 90-day suspension of the fees and phone-blocking measures to allow consultations with stakeholders; publication of the legal provisions and fee schedule; engagement with traders before implementation; provision of an appeal mechanism for phone users whose devices are wrongly blocked; and strict adherence to the rule of law.

Gama also called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that the policy complied with the Nigerian Communications Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He said phone owners needed a clear channel to challenge wrongful blocking, particularly where devices were affected by errors or legitimate repairs.

The association disclosed that it had written to the NCC, petitioned the Senate and House of Representatives, and approached the Kano State governor over its concerns.

While insisting that it was not opposed to measures aimed at eliminating fake and stolen phones, AMPAT urged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to review the implementation to prevent unintended economic consequences.

“A policy that is meant to fight fake phones should not destroy the people who sell genuine ones. That is all we are saying,” Gama said.

He appealed to the Federal Government, the National Assembly and the Kano State Government to engage the traders and find a solution that would protect consumers and businesses while achieving the policy’s security objectives.

The NCC and the private company alleged to be receiving the fees were not represented in the statement, and their responses to the traders’ allegations were not included.