Nigeria, or the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is made up of 36 different states, along with Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. Situated on the west coast of Africa, Nigeria is bordered by Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and the Republic of Benin. The largest city in the country is Lagos with a population of around 8 million, followed by Kano and Ibadan.

If you are planning to ship to Nigeria, there are several different shipping ports in the country. Nigeria’s coastal waterways include the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea. Some of the shipping ports in Nigeria include Apapa Port, Harcourt Port, Onne Port, Pennington Port and Calabar Port.

If you need international shipping to Nigeria, there are a few important documents you need to have in order. You will need the following prior to international shipping to Nigeria:

• passport (original)
• Visa
• Work permit (if applicable)
• residence permit
• Certificate of Change of Residence
• Declaration of unaccompanied baggage for customs and excise duties
• Sale Form 48
• shipping inventory
• The PUBD form must be completed after the client arrives in Nigeria
• Letter authorizing the destination agent to clear the shipment

When shipping to Nigeria, your cargo will be inspected during the customs clearance process. You should plan to be present for customs clearance if you are shipping to Nigeria. Additionally, you will need to obtain a personal bank account while in Nigeria to apply for the required Form “M”.

Duty Free Shipping and Shipping to Nigeria

When shipping to Nigeria, it’s helpful to note that used personal and household items generally qualify for duty-free shipping to Nigeria.

To qualify for duty-free shipping to Nigeria, your items must be used and you must have had them for at least 6 months prior to shipping. Additionally, items must be for your personal use and not for resale.

If you are a Nigerian citizen returning to the country and want to qualify for duty-free shipping to Nigeria, you must have been abroad outside of the country for at least nine months.

It is also important that your shipment to Nigeria arrive within two months of arrival in the country.

Dutiable and restricted items when shipping to Nigeria

Please note that you have to pay various fees to ship certain items to Nigeria. You can ship alcohol and tobacco products to Nigeria without an import permit if they are included as part of your household goods shipment. These items must be in a reasonable quantity for personal use. In addition, you are expected to pay import duties on any alcohol and tobacco products.

You can also ship home appliances to Nigeria, but your quantity is limited. You can send one of each type of appliance to Nigeria.

Other items that are restricted or require specific import duties when shipping to Nigeria include the following:

• Fragrance
• jeweler’s
• All films, videotapes, videodiscs, compact discs, publications, audiotapes, and gramophone records
• computers

prohibited items when shipping to nigeria

If you are shipping to Nigeria, there is a long list of items that are prohibited from entering the country. It is not allowed to send the following to Nigeria:

• air guns
• Airmail Photo Printing Paper
• Counterfeit money of any kind
• Beads composed of flammable celluloid or other similar substances
• blank bills
• Cars that are eight years old or older
• Coupons for foreign soccer pools or other betting arrangements
• cowries
• Spent tea or tea mixed with other substances. For the purposes of this article, “exhausted tea” means tea that has been deprived of its proper quality, strength, or virtue through steeping, infusion, or other means.
• Implements belonging to the reloading of cartridges
• Prints deemed indecent or obscene, or other items including paintings, books, cards, prints, or items of any kind deemed indecent
• manillas
• Matches made with white phosphorus
• Materials of any description with a design which, having regard to the purpose for which such material is intended to be used, is likely, in the opinion of the President, to create a disturbance of the peace or to offend the religious views of any class of persons in Nigeria.
• Meat, vegetables or other provisions declared by a Nigerian health officer as unfit for human consumption
• Piece items and all other textiles, including clothing. Hardware of all kinds, earthenware and earthenware or earthenware inscribed (either in Roman or Arabic characters) from the Qur’an or from the traditions and commentaries on the Qur’an
• Guns disguised in any form
• second-hand clothes
• Silver or metal alloy coins are not legal tender in Nigeria

car shipping and RO – RO Shipping to Nigeria

If you are interested in shipping a vehicle to Nigeria, it must be for your personal use and not for resale or disposal.

It is not allowed to ship vehicles eight years old or older to Nigeria. You are also expected to pay duties when shipping a vehicle to Nigeria.

Documents required for shipping cars to Nigeria include the following:

• Proof of vehicle ownership
• Vehicle registration certificate or original vehicle registration book
• car insurance papers
• passport (original)
• invoice
• Road solvency certificate (if sending a used vehicle)
• Make, model and serial number of your vehicle

Bringing a pet to Nigeria

If you are moving abroad to Nigeria or returning to the country after being away for a while and are interested in bringing a pet, there are some rules you should know beforehand.

Birds of the parrot family are not allowed to be brought into Nigeria. You must have a Certificate of Good Health for your pet. You will also need vaccination documentation and an import permit to bring your pet into Nigeria.

You must expect a quarantine period when bringing a pet to Nigeria.

A qualified shipping company can inform you of important customs rules and regulations if you are shipping to Nigeria or some other destination around the world. Working with an experienced shipping agency will make your experience with international shipping to Nigeria much easier.