•CBN headquarters, Abuja
The Central Bank of Nigeria has approved the temporary use of expired National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control licenses to importers for import documentation purposes.
A circular issued on January 26, 2026, by the apex bank’s Trade and Exchange Department and published on the bank’s website yesterday, the CBN said authorised dealer banks may continue to process Form M applications with NAFDAC licenses that expired on December 31, 2025.
It said the measure was necessitated by operational challenges linked to the migration from the legacy Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System II platform, reports Channels TV.
The approval, which takes effect immediately, will run for two months and lapse on February 28, 2026.
The circular, signed by Aliyu M. Ashiru for the Director of the Trade and Exchange Department, read, “The Central Bank of Nigeria wishes to notify all Authorised Dealer Banks and the general public of a temporary dispensation offered by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control permitting the continued use of NAFDAC licences that expired on 31st December, 2025, for the processing of Forms M for a two-month temporary dispensation ending February 28, 2026.”
The apex bank explained that the approval followed a temporary dispensation granted by NAFDAC and applies strictly to Form M processing during the period.
According to the CBN, importers have been unable to validate or renew NAFDAC licenses since the transition, particularly due to difficulties encountered on the B’Odogwu platform after December 2025.
To ease the bottlenecks and prevent delays in import documentation, the bank directed all authorised dealer banks to continue accepting the affected licenses within the approved window.
The move, CBN added, is intended to ensure continuity in trade transactions while NAFDAC completes the integration of its systems with the National Single Window.
The CBN stressed that the arrangement is time-bound and urged banks to comply strictly with its terms, noting that the approval would lapse automatically on February 28, 2026.
