SOUTH AFRICA: Key Sections of Personal Information Act in Force from 1 July 2020
Important provisions of South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPI Act) have now come into effect. According to a statement on 22 June by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa,...
View ArticleETHIOPIA: New Incentives Introduced for Industrial Parks
The government of Ethiopia has announced a new three-pronged incentive package to assist investors operating in the country’s industrial parks, in order to ease the economic impact of the coronavirus...
View ArticleKENYA: 2020 Finance Bill Enacted with Impact on Imports
Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya, signed the country’s 2020 Finance Bill into law on 30 June 2020. It included a number of provisions that will have an impact on foreign companies selling goods and...
View ArticleEAST AFRICA: EAC Council Introduces Duty Changes for Member States
The East African Community (EAC) has introduced a number of significant adjustments to its Common External Tariff (CET) import duty measures.Language English
View ArticleKENYA: Importers Get Empty Container Free Period Extended
The Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) has ordered shipping lines, through their local shipping agents, to extend the free period for the return of empty cargo containers to designated yards in Mombasa...
View ArticleMAURITIUS: New Budget Favours Foreign Investors, but Will Tax Foreign Digital...
Mauritius has announced that it will introduce new measures to encourage foreign investment in the country, but that it will also extend value-added tax (VAT) to digital or electronic services provided...
View ArticleAFRICA: Harmonised Rules for Movement of Goods and Services Adopted by...
Three regional economic blocs in south and east Africa have adopted harmonised guidelines intended to reduce supply chain disruption, facilitate easier trade and transport of goods and services between...
View ArticleGHANA: Agreement to Establish AfCFTA Secretariat in Accra Approved
The parliament of Ghana has approved the agreement with the African Union (AU) for establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) secretariat in the capital, Accra.Language English
View ArticleNIGERIA: Container Deposit Charges to End by First Quarter of 2021
The Nigerian government has announced that it will stop collecting container deposits from importers before the end of the first quarter of 2021.Language English
View ArticleGHANA: Trade Ministry Rolls Out Interactive Business Regulatory Portal
Ghana’s Ministry of Trade and Industry has launched an interactive online portal intended to involve affected Ghanaian business stakeholders in the process of reforming existing business regulations,...
View ArticleETHIOPIA: New rules released on sectors open to foreign investment
Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers released a new investment regulation on 2 September 2020 identifying the range of sectors now open and closed to foreign investment. Language English
View ArticleKENYA: Higher Fees for Importers Avoiding the Standard Gauge Railway
The Kenyan parliament has recommended imposing a higher levy for importers who opt to transport their goods by road from Mombasa port to the capital, Nairobi, instead of using the country’s troubled...
View ArticleNIGERIA: Shippers Council Threatens Closure of Terminal Operators over...
The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), in a 25 September official release, ordered Nigeria’s bonded terminal and other terminal operators to stop charging fees on cargo transfer from port terminals to...
View ArticleKENYA: KRA Raises Excise Rates on 31 Goods
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has increased the tax on excisable goods in line with the average inflation rate, despite pleas from manufacturers and importers to leave rates unchanged. Language...
View ArticleIVORY COAST: New Container Terminal at Abidjan Port to Alter Regional Trade
Construction of the Port of Abidjan’s second container terminal, the Côte d’Ivoire Terminal (CIT), officially started on 5 October 2020. Language English
View ArticleSOUTH AFRICA: Revenue Service Issues New Trade Facilitation Rules
All bonded goods must now be imported into South Africa in sealed containers. The new rules were announced by the South Africa Revenue Service (SARS) in a revision to the customs declaration process,...
View ArticleNIGERIA: Central Bank Threatens Shippers with Penalties over NXP Non-Compliance
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) released a circular on 6 October 2020 notifying international shipping and airfreight companies that they will be sanctioned for not complying with its directive...
View ArticleKENYA: New Nairobi Customs Depot to Cut Costs for Smaller Importers
Kenya’s President, Uhuru Kenyatta, opened the government’s Container Freight Station (CFS)-Kenya Railways Corporation Transit Shed near the Nairobi Central Station on 10 November 2020.Language English
View ArticleKENYA: New Sea Cargo Clearance System Starts in December 2020
Cargo clearance at Kenya’s Mombasa port will be accelerated from December 2020 when the Customs and Border Control Department of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) switches to using the Sea Cargo...
View ArticleSOUTH AFRICA: New Reporting Measures for Garment Importers
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has issued a directive aimed at tackling illegal trading, including the undervaluation of clothing, textile, footwear and leather (CTFL) goods.Language English
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