The Phone and Allied Products Dealers Association (PAPDA) has urged the Federal Government to review and reduce customs duties on imported mobile devices, warning that high tariffs are driving up costs and pricing ordinary Nigerians out of the digital economy.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, PAPDA President Mr. Ebiem Samuel stated that steep import tariffs, compounded by rising logistics expenses have significantly pushed up wholesale and retail phone prices across the country.
“Our challenge here is the customs duty. It makes the phones very high,” Samuel said. “After paying the customs duty and the logistics of bringing it down to your doorstep, it becomes very high.”
Samuel noted that the price surges are disproportionately impacting low-income earners who rely heavily on mobile devices for daily communication, business operations, and learning. He emphasised that mobile phones remain the primary gateway to internet access for most citizens.
“Without a phone, you cannot access the internet. You cannot reach the world. We reach the world through phones and devices, especially mobile phones,” he said.
According to PAPDA, slashing customs duties would immediately ease import costs, allowing dealers to lower retail prices, boost market turnover, and revive slowing sales in the tech sector.
Addressing the prospect of domestic phone manufacturing, Samuel cautioned that Nigeria lacks the required infrastructure to sustain full local assembly at this time.
He clarified that PAPDA has neither been consulted nor involved in any current government initiatives regarding local mobile assembly, urging policymakers to focus first on creating a viable industrial foundation while lowering import burdens in the interim.
“Government needs to strike a balance between revenue generation and keeping essential digital devices within the reach of ordinary Nigerians,” Samuel urged, calling for policies that foster both market growth and widespread digital inclusion. (NAN
