Nigeria’s Presidency has said the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) plan to begin the collection of fees in Naira rather than in United States dollars or other foreign currencies.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga made this disclosure on Wednesday, 25 September during a briefing at the state house.
Onanuga, who that the proposal was part of the Economic Stabilisation Bill sent to the National Assembly, added that the bill is part of an effort from the federal government to prioritize the use of local currencies in Nigeria and reduce pressure on the foreign exchange market.
The presidency image-maker added that the emphasis of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is to prioritize Nigeria’s National currency.
“The second one has to do with the operating laws guiding NIMASA and Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), the amendment under that in the economic stabilization bills is that all their fees, charges, levies, fines and other monies accruing to them and payable to those agencies will now be paid in Naira at the applicable exchange rate.”
“Hitherto, those agencies were charging in Dollars but now collect it in Naira. This government wants to put a lot of emphasis on our national currency instead of everything being dollarised in our economy,” Onanuga said.
