Muhammadu Buhari
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Nigerian red tape prompts South African retailer to exit

Comments (0) Africa, Business, Latest Updates from Reuters

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African retailer Truworths has pulled out of its Nigerian business citing import restrictions, its chief executive said on Thursday, a sign President Muhammadu Buhari’s attempts to boost local industry are hurting foreign investment.

As well as being unable to fill its shelves, the clothing retailer said it was struggling to pay its rent and get access to foreign exchange which has dried up due to a collapse in oil prices. Nigeria is Africa’s biggest crude exporter.

“We were unable to operate the stores properly any longer because we were unable to send merchandise to the stores because there’s regulation preventing that,” Michael Mark told Reuters in telephone interview.

In an attempt to boost local manufacturing and prop up the ailing naira, Buhari has effectively banned the import of almost 700 goods, ranging from rice to toothpicks, bread and soap.

Even non-banned items are difficult to import due to dollar shortages.

Buhari won an election a year ago on promises to end a brutal Islamist insurgency in the northeast and wean Africa’s biggest economy off oil.

However, Boko Haram militants continue to launch regular attacks and economists have questioned the logic of Buhari’s shock therapy reform tactics, particularly because of the knock-on effects of the slump in oil prices.

 

(Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by Ed Cropley)

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Nigeria’s New President Inherits a Country Without its Black Gold

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accrareport_nigeria-oil

Paralyzed by gasoline shortages, Nigerian authorities appear close to reaching a solution. The crisis began in early March, weeks before the 29 March election that elected Muhammadu Buhari as Goodluck Jonathan’s replacement. Nigeria has long paid oil importers subsidies to control price and guarantee a steady supply. That, however, no longer seems to be working.

Oil suppliers’ credit lines were tightened amid the falling global price of oil, a slump in Nigeria’s currency, the naira, and the unpaid debt by the former President’s government. Suppliers claim that more than 900 million euros are owed in back-payments of government subsidies.

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Nigeria’s new president vows to fight endemic corruption

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muhammadu buhari

Along with security and unemployment, Nigeria’s new president Muhammadu Buhari, has declared corruption as one of the top three challenges he plans to tackle during his term.

The 72-year-old former military ruler took office on 29 May after defeating incumbent Goodluck Jonathan in the race to run a country struggling with a waning economy, endemic corruption, rampant unemployment, and the on-going security threat from Boko Haram.

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