Nigeria lifts import ban on Egyptian furniture: minister

Egypt’s Trade and Industry Minister Tarek Qabil announced Monday that Nigeria has agreed to lift a ban, imposed since 2005, on the imports of Egyptian furniture.

Nigeria imposed a ban on the furniture imports, involving a list of 25 commodities in 2005, which has negatively affected Egypt’s exports of furniture since then.

The Egyptian Commercial Representation Office in Geneva had negotiated with the Nigerian delegation within the framework of the World Trade Organisation to lift the ban, Qabil added.

The step is considered a great opportunity for Egyptian furniture owing to the fact that Nigeria is one of the biggest African markets and economies, with population reaches about 180 million people, the minister said.

Qabil also call the Egyptian furniture companies to take advantage of the ban removal and to boost export to the Nigerian market.