The United Kingdom has reaffirmed that Nigeria will continue to enjoy duty-free access on 99% of total goods exported to the UK market under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS).
The DCTS is part of the UK’s broader strategy to support the growth of emerging economies like Nigeria by reducing tariffs on thousands of goods, simplifying export rules for businesses, and making it easier to qualify for trade benefits. The scheme also lowers import costs for UK businesses while offering consumers a wider variety of affordable products.
Launched in June 2023, the DCTS allows Nigeria and 36 other African countries to export more than 3,000 products either duty-free or at reduced tariffs to the UK. It is aimed at supporting Nigerian businesses to expand and become more competitive globally.
Through the DCTS, Nigerian exporters can sell key agricultural products such as cocoa, yam, tomatoes, plantain, shrimp, and other commodities to the UK at reduced tariffs. The scheme also covers processed and value-added goods like cocoa paste and butter, sesame and palm oil, cashew nuts, and cotton clothing, helping the country shift from raw materials to value-added exports.
British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, described Nigeria as one of the UK’s most important partners in Africa and emphasized the mutual benefits of the trade scheme.
“As one of the UK’s most important partners in Africa, Nigeria stands at the heart of the UK’s global trade ambitions. We want to strengthen trade ties between our two great nations and unlock the power of sustainable and transformative growth in Nigeria and across emerging economies,” Montgomery said.
He highlighted that a major benefit of the scheme is the reduction or 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 to 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,” he added.
Dr. Montgomery also noted that through the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP), the UK is working closely with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to address export challenges and ensure Nigerian businesses fully benefit from the DCTS.
The initiative is part of a wider UK effort to build robust economic relationships around the world, with recent trade agreements also signed with major economies such as India and the United States.
