Protectionism, evasion and household welfare evidence from Nigeria’s import bans

Abstract

This paper analyzes the welfare impacts of import bans in Nigeria and how these impacts are shaped by evasion. Bans were not effectively enforced, thus fostering informal trade. The imposition of bans nonetheless increased consumer prices by 9.9 percent on average. However, price increases were substantially attenuated for goods for which trade policy is harder to enforce. Import bans disproportionately hurt richer households, who likewise disproportionately benefit from evasion.