CBN Approves Temporary Use of Expired NAFDAC Licences for Imports

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has granted importers temporary permission to use expired National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) licences for import documentation, following disruptions caused by ongoing system transitions in Nigeria’s trade processing framework.

In a circular issued by its Trade and Exchange Department, the apex bank authorised dealer banks to continue processing Form M applications using NAFDAC licences that expired on December 31, 2025. The approval takes immediate effect and will remain valid for a two-month window, ending February 28, 2026.

The CBN explained that the measure was introduced to address operational challenges arising from the migration away from the legacy Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System II (NICIS II). According to the bank, importers have been unable to validate or renew NAFDAC licences since the transition, particularly due to technical difficulties encountered on the B’Odogwu platform after December 2025.

The circular clarified that the approval followed a temporary dispensation granted by NAFDAC and applies strictly to Form M processing during the approved period. To prevent delays in import documentation and minimise disruptions to trade, authorised dealer banks were directed to continue accepting the affected licences within the defined window.

The CBN stressed that the arrangement is strictly time-bound and will lapse automatically at the end of February 2026. Banks were urged to comply fully with the terms of the approval, noting that the measure is intended solely to ensure continuity in trade transactions while NAFDAC completes the integration of its systems with the National Single Window.