The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has authorised importers to temporarily use expired National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) licenses for import documentation, the apex bank announced on Tuesday.
According to a circular issued on January 26, 2026, by the CBN’s Trade and Exchange Department and published on the bank’s website, authorised dealer banks may continue processing Form M applications with NAFDAC licenses that expired on December 31, 2025.
The dispensation, which takes effect immediately, will run for two months and end on February 28, 2026.
Signed by Aliyu M. Ashiru for the Director of the Trade and Exchange Department, the circular stated:
“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 CBN explained that the move was prompted by operational challenges following the migration from the legacy Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System II platform. Importers have struggled to validate or renew NAFDAC licenses on the new B’Odogwu platform since December 2025.
To prevent bottlenecks and ensure the smooth flow of trade, the apex bank directed authorised dealer banks to accept the affected licenses within the two-month window, allowing importers to continue their operations while NAFDAC completes the integration of its systems with the National Single Window.
The CBN emphasised that the dispensation is strictly time-bound and will automatically lapse on February 28, 2026, urging all banks to comply fully with the terms of the arrangement.
