Phone Dealers Warn Customs Charges Could Push Mobile Devices Beyond Reach of Nigerians

Phone dealers in Nigeria have raised concerns that high customs charges and other import-related costs are making mobile devices increasingly expensive, warning that continued pressure on importers could further reduce affordability for consumers.

The concern was raised by Ebiem Samuel, President of the Phone and Allied Products Dealers Association (PAPDA), in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos. Samuel urged the Federal Government to review customs duties on imported mobile phones, arguing that lower charges would help reduce prices and stimulate activity in the phone market.

According to Samuel, the cost of importing phones does not end with the customs payment. Dealers also face logistics and distribution expenses before devices reach retailers and consumers, adding to the final price paid by buyers.

He said the situation is particularly difficult for low-income Nigerians who rely on mobile phones for communication, education, business and internet access. In his view, reducing import-related costs would allow dealers to bring devices into the country more cheaply and potentially pass some of those savings on to consumers.

The issue goes beyond the interests of phone traders because smartphones have become an important gateway to Nigeria's digital economy. A significant rise in device prices can make it harder for people to acquire internet-enabled phones, particularly consumers who need affordable devices for online learning, digital payments, small businesses and communication.

Samuel also called for greater attention to local assembly of mobile phones, but argued that Nigeria currently lacks some of the infrastructure required to make large-scale domestic production viable. He said government would need to create the right conditions and empower local players before local manufacturing could become a realistic alternative to dependence on imported devices.

The Federal Government has, however, been reviewing Nigeria's broader tariff structure. In July, the Nigeria Customs Service announced implementation of the 2026 Fiscal Policy Measures and Tariff Amendments, which include revisions to the country's customs and excise tariff framework. The government said the changes were designed to support domestic industrial development, facilitate legitimate trade and improve the administration of tariff policies.

A separate analysis of the 2026 tariff review found that the government retained existing rates on 103 product categories, reduced duties on 74 and increased tariffs on 12. The review covers a wide range of products, including electronics, although the dealers' latest complaint specifically focuses on the cost of importing mobile phones.

There is also a broader policy argument behind the dispute. Import duties can provide government revenue and, in some circumstances, encourage domestic production by making imported goods less competitive. But excessive import-related costs can have the opposite effect when local manufacturing is not sufficiently developed to provide affordable alternatives.

That tension is particularly relevant to Nigeria's mobile-phone market. The Nigerian Communications Commission has also argued that long-term affordability cannot be solved simply by relying on imports, pointing to local phone production as a way of reducing exposure to foreign-exchange movements, customs costs and distribution expenses.

For consumers, the immediate concern is whether government policy can balance revenue collection and local industrial development with the need for affordable digital devices. While dealers are calling for lower customs costs, any policy change would need to consider its impact on government revenue, local assembly, legitimate importers and the availability of safe and genuine devices.

For now, the claim that customs charges are contributing to higher phone prices remains the position of the dealers rather than an independently quantified assessment of how much customs duty contributes to the retail price of a typical phone. That distinction is important because exchange rates, shipping, logistics, taxes, distribution margins and other costs can also influence what consumers ultimately pay.

The debate therefore presents a wider question for policymakers: how can Nigeria make smartphones more affordable while simultaneously encouraging legitimate trade and building the domestic capacity needed to produce devices locally?