*Special incentive to cut unhealthy bureaucracy, pushes for prompt clearance of standard renewable energy components at country’s ports
Nigeria will create a ‘special unit’ within its Customs Service to accelerate screening and clearance of renewable energy components imported into her ports, the country’s new policy on renewable energy deployment has disclosed.
Signed into law in April 2015 by the country’s federal executive council, the policy – the National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy (NREEEP), is designed to shore up institutional backing for in-country renewable energy deployment.
A section of the 41 page document – section 5.7, indicated that a special customs clearance of renewable energy and energy efficient equipment imported into the country will be guaranteed by a new unit to be set up and directly supervised by the head of the customs services.
The section explained that the special unit will work within the customs service to restructure and cut off the difficulties of clearing renewable components at the ports.
This from offgridnigeria.com inquiries means that the hitherto clumsy customs’ clearance processes for imported renewable energy components could ease off.
“To further facilitate the implementation of the incentives relating to imports and exports, this policy recommends that the Federal Ministry of Finance should establish a Special Task Force within the Nigerian Customs Service for the renewable energy and energy efficiency subsectors,” said the NREEP section.
It added: “The role of the Task Force in the development of the RE and EE sub-sectors will be such that specific mandate is given to the unit under the direct supervision of the Comptroller General to fast track screening of RE and EE components coming into and out of the country.
“The Task Force will work within the customs service to stream-line the cumbersome process inherent in importing RE and EE goods into the country. It will train staff on product quality and how to apply the various incentives as well as develop a special HS-Code (Harmonized System Code) for the sector.”
