- As a newbie importer, you don¡¯t have to travel all the way to China to facilitate the procurement and shipment of goods to Nigeria. You can do this through trusted intermediaries whose services many importer use today
- There are multiple platforms you can use to import online, but the most popular of them all is Alibaba. Alibaba contains a rich directory of Chinese manufacturers and suppliers, along with information regarding the goods they supply.
- To ship your goods into Nigeria, there are few shipping methods to consider but only go for the method that guarantees the safest, cheapest, and fastest option.
- Contact DFH Global Logistics to be of service to pick a cost-effective shipping method, we provide shippers with efficient and cost-effective shipping methods
- DFH offers the Following service for your reference: Transportation and General Logistics, Packing and Listing, Warehousing, Cargo onboarding, Product sourcing, Shipping cost evaluation.
- The transit time for sea freight is around 45 days. For airfreight, the transit time is within 7 days. There are air freight companies in Lagos that handle shipments from China to Apapa, Lagos, every day of the week.
- For years, DFH Global Logistics has been involved in the facilitation of international trade between China and Nigeria. Our freight forwarding service is curated to serve the economic interest of importers who work with us
- Duties and taxes may be applied to your package when it reaches Nigeria. Please ensure you provide contact details for the recipient so customs can contact them for payment.
China has become a production hub, and this remains the case even today. As of today, countries from all over the world source their industrial and consumer goods from China, and this is also the case for Nigeria. Nigeria is a West African country with the continent’s largest population, with about 200 million people and counting. Such a huge population creates room for significant demand for a product, and China’s industry has been supporting the quest to satisfy this demand.
1. How to import goods from China to Nigeria?
2. Important Incoterms to bear in mind when shipping items from China to Nigeria
3. Nigeria Import Regulations
4. How much is Import duty in Nigeria?
5. The importation procedure and Documentation in Nigeria
6. What Goods can I import from China to Nigeria?
7. Types of Shipping from China to Nigeria
8. How to Ship goods from China to Nigeria?
9. Cost of Shipping Container from China to Nigeria
10. How many days will it take to ship my goods from China to Nigeria?
11. Main Seaports in China from which goods are shipped into Nigeria
12. FAQ
In this article, we will introduce you to the world of shipping goods from China to Nigeria, and all you have to do to complete the process. You will also be introduced to reliable shipping agents who facilitate goods shipments as well as the shipping rates for sea and air freight.
How to import goods from China to Nigeria?
Quite a lot of consumption goods consumed in Nigeria are purchased and imported into the country. The number of goods you can ship in from China are limitless and too numerous to mention. However, to complete the process, there are steps you must take to facilitate cargo shipments from a Chinese port to a Nigerian port in West Africa. When it comes to shipping, here are some general steps to take.
Product Research
This is something importers all over the world do before anything else. Product research is the first and most important step you ought to take when delving into the world of importation business. If you want to sell any item for a profit and fast too, you need to do detailed market research about the product. Find out the level of demand for it, who are its users, how much the product is sold for, and the different product variations that exist. Also, find out if the items can be ordered online and who can supply you the product in sufficient quantity, and more importantly, devise a means of selling the product in a reasonable time.
Evaluate The Importation process in Nigeria
After identifying the product of interest to you, the next step is to study the importation process involved. You need not be an expert in the field, but at least you should have an average level of knowledge regarding the matter. Study the import regulations and find out what the relevant documents are demanded of importers. Also, go through the prohibited list to find out if the products you want to import are on this list. If they are, refrain from shilling them into Nigeria as this may attract huge fines or outright seizures. The easiest way to get sufficient and accurate information about the Nigerian importation process is to visit the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) website or to get in touch with a reputable shipping agent or company.
Find a Supplier
Now, you will need to find a supplier. Not just any supplier but a supplier that offers the items you want. To increase your chances of making a healthy profit off the venture, endeavor to look for more than one supplier of the item and compare their prices. It is also imperative that you deal with a supplier that has sufficient stock of the items. Once you find a reliable supplier, initiate contact to find out the following:
- Price per unit
- Factory of origin
- Customs fee
- Transportation and logistical costs
- Discounts (if any)
If you are comfortable with the terms in offer, demand they sales contract, which will include the Name and address of the manufacturer, business license number, Seller’s name, and address, product specification, and every other vital information. Some of the most popular platforms to source for suppliers of Chinese goods include:
- Canton Fair
- DFH Logistics China sourcing agent
- com
- Hongkong Fair
- made-in-china.com
- com
Pick a preferable shipping method
To ship your goods into Nigeria, there are few shipping methods to consider but only go for the method that guarantees the safest, cheapest, and fastest option. These three factors should be determined by the nature of items you are importing. Do note that each method (Regular shipping or Courier) has its drawbacks and benefits, so take the following into account when making a decision.
In order to pick a cost-effective shipping method, you can contact DFH Global Logistics to be of service to you. At DFH Logistics, we provide shippers with efficient and cost-effective shipping methods along with the following services:
- Transportation and General Logistics
- Packing and Listing
- Warehousing
- Cargo onboarding
- Product sourcing
- Shipping cost evaluation
Important Incoterms to bear in mind when shipping items from China to Nigeria
Incoterms are agreements between buyers and sellers which spell out the level and degree of responsibility borne by each party involved in the transaction. Incoterms facilitate International trade without which disputes and loss of assets may ensue. When ordering items from China, make sure you study the incoterms to avoid contractual beaches or potential loss of assets. Find below some of the common incoterms involved in Chinese-Nigerian trade.
EXWorks
An EXWorks agreement stipulates that the Seller is to deliver the ordered items to an agreed location where an agent of the buyer is to take delivery. Under ExWorks, buyers take on greater responsibilities than sellers because the buyer becomes responsible for onward shipment as soon as the items are delivered by the seller.
FOB
A Free On Board arrangement entails that the seller transports the items from the factory or warehouse to the vessel for onward transport. Once the items are delivered to the vessel, full responsibility switches to the buyer from that point until the items arrive at the final destination.
DDP (Delivery Duty Paid)
DDP places full responsibility on the Seller to make all logistical arrangements and to cover the cost. The seller is responsible for organizing, transporting, and shipping the items to the buyer’s home country.
CFR
Cost and Freight incoterms involve the seller transporting the items to the port, clearing the items for export, and delivering them to the vessel for transportation. The Seller bears the cost of exporting the cargo while the buyer bears the cost of clearing the cargo at the port of destination.
DDU
Also known as Delivered Duty Unpaid, DDU is the opposite of DDP. Under a DDU arrangement, the buyer only bears the financial cost of paying the import duty tax. All other costs are covered by the seller.
CIF
Insurance is an important component of international trade and shipping, and CIF remains one of the most important terms agreed by both parties, Cost, Insurance and Freight costs (CIF) is borne by the seller, not the buyer.
Note: DFH Global Logistics offers the above incoterms
Nigeria Import Regulations
Every country the world over has an indigenous regulation that is used to regulate the flow of cargo into their territory. These regulations are strictly adhered to by the Nigerian authorities, and they guide the practices of all the parties involved in goods imports. From the exporters to the importers, the carriers to the middlemen involved in the facilitation of the cargo, all entities are expected to operate according to laid down guidelines. Here are some very important import regulations all importers must follow in Nigeria.
SONCAP Certification
The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has made it mandatory for all importers to provide the following documents for regulated consignments.
Product Certificate issued by Cotecna
This certificate is a certificate of Conformity (COC) issued to imports by Cotecna. To get this certificate as an importer, you first need to possess a Product Certificate that is used to open (Form M). Form M is used to declare the goods in the consignment. Product Certificates are of three types. Here they are.
Unregistered/ Unlicensed products
This certificate is mainly used by importers who do not import too frequently.
Registered products
Importers or manufacturers that frequently ship items into Nigeria are required to apply for a SONCAP certification under registered products. To use this option, the importer must provide proof that the seller has consistently churned out products of the same quality over a significant period of time.
Licensed Products
If you ship items regularly into Nigeria, and you have demonstrated a high level of compliance as regards quality and compliance, you are allowed to use this option.
CCVO
A Combined Certificate of Value and Origin is a document used by the Nigerian Customs Service to validate the country of origin as well as the value of the cargo coming into Nigeria for the purpose of affixing a custom duty charge to it. CCCO is another mandatory document used for clearing goods at any of Nigeria’s seaport or airport.
Custom Duty in Nigeria
As in all countries, it costs a significant amount to import goods into Nigeria. Although there are quite a few costs associated with the importation business, one of the most important of them all is the customs duty charge on items. If you are planning to enter into the importation business, you should make financial arrangements for custom clearance fees at the port when your cargo arrives. How much you pay for your cargo varies, but a clearing agent can be of immense help to you in calculating an actual cost.
How much is Import duty in Nigeria?
In broad terms, under the Law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the tax charged as import duty is currently pegged at 7.5% of the value of the goods. In mathematical terms, this will translate to 7.5% as Value Added Tax in addition to CIF, CISS, ETLS, and Surcharge.
The importation procedure and Documentation in Nigeria
As we pointed out at the start, it is very important that you know what the importation procedures are for shipping goods into Nigeria. Doing so will save you the stress of making mistakes and the likely potential costs. To help you on your way, here is a detailed procedure you will find helpful.
- Consult the import policy to find out if your merchandise is prohibited, allowed, or subject to import licensing. The information from your consultation will influence your actions moving forward.
- The next step is to secure a foreign trade sanction. To do so, you will have to forward payment to the designated bank of the seller for order facilitation. This will be done in conjunction with your bank and the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Seller’s Bank.
- Forward and import request or indent to the Seller informing him of your desire to be supplied the merchandise. An import request is a form containing the cost, quantity, grade, and size of the items. In fact, all the relevant information regarding the product is contained in the request form.
- Once the payment terms are agreed between you and the Seller, you will be issued a letter of credit by your banker, which should be forwarded to the Seller.
- At this point, the financial package for the consignment should be put together to facilitate payment to the exporter, depending on the incoterms agreed.
- Once the cargo is loaded unto the carrier, you will be notified through the issue of a “Shipment Advice. Contained in this document is the information covering the receipt number of the cargo, the bill of lading, Carrier’s name, date and description, or cargo, as well as other relevant information.
- Once the vessel sets sail, the exporter in China will hand over all the different documents such as the invoice, bill of lading, insurance certificate, etc., to his bank for transmission to you the importer after receiving the bill of exchange.
- Once the consignment arrives at any of Nigeria’s port, you will be notified of its arrival by officials responsible for sending out such notifications.
- Since imports are subject to Customs inspections, your cargo will be extensively inspected in line with regulations. You will be expected to appoint a clearing agent to collaborate with customs officials for such an endeavor.
- To complete the process, after the inspection is done, a duty will be levied on the items. Once this is paid, they will be released to your agent.
What Goods can I import from China to Nigeria?
This is an all-important question you should answer before diving into the importation business. This is because you do not want to invest in commodities that you are unable to sell quickly enough or something that you cannot sell for a healthy profit. With that being said, importers Chinese made products have multiple options when it comes to goods varieties. For years and to date, China has one of the cheapest industrial industry which allows producers to manufacture products at very cheap prices.
Hot Products to import from China
If you are considering the importation business from China, here are some highly demanded items you can import from China and sell for healthy profits in Nigeria.
Clothes – Shoes – Mobile phones – Electronics – Accessories – Cars – Motors – Furniture – Building Materials – Doors – Pharmaceutical products – Human hair
The list is endless as far as items are concerned. Items like human hair are highly demanded in the country, and there are suppliers in China that can supply large quantities of human hair to you at cheap prices. Phones, electronics, and related accessories are another category of products you might also want to consider because there is a huge demand for them in Nigeria. These are some of the highly profitable items you should look at if you are new to the importation business.
Types of Shipping from China to Nigeria
Basically, there are different types of shipping you need to consider depending on the size of your cargo and the speed at which you want it delivered to your location. They are:
FCL Shipping
FCL shipping is essential for large scale importers who are shipping goods into Nigeria in large volumes. FCL stands for Full Container Load, and an importer who uses it takes up the entire space in the container, be it a 40 ft container or a 20 ft container. Under FCL, you buy up the entire space in the container to house your cargo, so you don’t share it with shipments belonging to any other importer.
LCL Shipping
LCL shipping is the opposite of FCL. It is also the most common type of shipment used by importers, who only ship goods in smaller volumes. If your items are not large enough to contain a full container, your freight forwarder will lump your items along with items belonging to other importers, albeit with differentiation. When the container arrives as the port of destination, the items will be sorted and delivered to their respective owners.
Door to Door Shipping
Door to door shipping is a service in which the items is delivered straight to the doorstep of the importer. If you opt for this type of shipping service, you need not get involved in the clearing process. Your representatives will handle the customs clearance and take delivery of your items for onward delivery to a location of your choice.
How to Ship goods from China to Nigeria
There are two ways to ship goods to Nigeria from China. You either do so via Sea freight or air freight. If you are shipping via sea freight, your goods will be loaded into a shipping container. Airfreight, on the other hand, may or may not use containers depending on the size and capacity of the cargo plane as well as the nature of the items on board.
Of the two options, air freight is beneficial if you want your items delivered to you on time since planes travel faster than ships. However, air freight is a lot more expensive than sea freight. Sea freight, on the other hand, is the better option if you want to cut down on cost or if you are shipping in large quantities.
Note: Do you know that DFH Global Logistics has long provided support to Nigerian importers shipping goods into Nigeria from China? Among our long list of services includes:
- Transportation and General Logistics
- Packing and Listing
- Warehousing
- Cargo onboarding
- Product sourcing
- Shipping cost evaluation
Cost of Shipping Container from China to Nigeria
Containers are of two different sizes. There are the 20ft and the 40ft containers depending on the volume of your cargo. In general terms, carriers charge a bottom rate of $185 per Cubic meter (this price is subject to change). For 20ft containers, you may be asked to pay between $2,000 – $3,000, and for 40ft containers, the rate may rise to as much as $5,000. Getting your container from the port to your warehouse may set you back as much $500. This charge is called the cartage cost.
Note: Container shipping rates are never static but change from time to time due to the season and other factors.
How many days will it take to ship my goods from China to Nigeria?
The transit time for sea freight is around 45 days. For airfreight, the transit time is within 7 days. There are air freight companies in Lagos that handle shipments from China to Apapa, Lagos, every day of the week. Find below, a delivery timetable from various ports in China to Nigeria.
Port of Origin | Port of Destination | Delivery Timeframe |
Shenzhen Sea Port | Apapa Port, Lagos | 31 days |
Shanghai Sea Port | Apapa Port, Lagos | 33 days |
Guangzhou Sea Port | Apapa Port, Lagos | 31 days |
Ningbo Sea Port | Apapa Port, Lagos | 32 days |
Tianjin Sea Port | Apapa Port, Lagos | 41 days |
Qingdao Sea Port | Apapa Port, Lagos | 37 days |
Dalian Sea Port | Apapa Port, Lagos | 42 days |
Xiamen Sea Port | Apapa Port, Lagos | 30 days |
All Chinese airports | Murtala Muhammed Airport Lagos | 5-7 days |
All Chinese airports | Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja | 5-7 days |
Main Seaports in China from which goods are shipped into Nigeria
- Guanzhou
- Shenzhen
- Shanghai
- Ningbo
- Xiamen
- Qingdao
- Tianjin
Main Seaports in Nigeria that receive cargo from China
- Lagos Port Complex
- Tin Can Island Port
- Calabar Port
- Rivers Port Complex
- Onne Port
Air Freight From China to Nigeria
Airfreight represents your fastest option as far as shipping is concerned. If you ship with cargo planes, your items can bedroom for within 7 days. The cost of air freight, including custom duty payments, starts from $5.2 per kg.
Main Airport in China
- Beijing
- Shenzhen
- Guangzhou
- Chengdu
- Shanghai
- Hangzhou
- Xi’an
Main Airports in Nigeria
- Murtala Muhammed airport
- Nnamdi Azikiwe airport
- Kaduna International airport
- Aminu Kano airport
- Akanu ibidem airport
Express Shipping
Courier services are also very popular for importers looking for swift shipping methods. In Nigeria, there are several Courier services currently operating in the country, and using any of their services can reduce delivery times by more than half. Their services are all called express shipping services. The service companies currently operating China to Nigeria shipping services are:
- DHL
- EMS
- FedEx
- Aliexpress
The shipping rates of these companies change frequently, so before you engage any of them, make sure you consult the price list on their website to be sure of how much you will have to pay for the transportation of your goods. We also offer our clients a professional support in choosing a cost-effective courier service they can afford.
Shipping Companies that ship from China to Nigeria
There are so many shipping companies involved in China to Nigeria shipping, but here is a list of the most popular ones. Please do note that at DFH Global Logistics, we work with an extensive network of shipping companies, including the ones mentioned on this list.
- Cosco
- China Shipping
- American President Lines
- Evergreen Shipping company
- China Airlines
- Air China Cargo
- Lufthansa Airlines
- Cathay Pacific Airlines
Shipping routes from China to Nigeria
Ships are known to follow a given route when moving cargo from one point to the next. In the case of China to Nigeria shipping, the common route sea carriers ply is :
- The Yellow Sea – East China Sea – Hangzhou Bay – Philippine Sea – South China Sea – Indian Ocean – South Atlantic Ocean – North Atlantic Ocean – Gulf of Guinea – Bight of Benin Bay – Port of Lagos, Apapa Nigeria (final destination).
Shipping from China to Lagos Nigeria
Most of the shipments coming into the country are mostly delivered to ports in Lagos State for onward transportation to the interior. As a newbie importer, you don’t have to travel all the way to China to facilitate the procurement and shipment of goods to Nigeria. You can do this through trusted intermediaries whose services many importer use today. Nairaland is one healthy resource platform for sourcing for agents that can handle the procurement, shipping, and funds transfer on your behalf.
To find a reliable facilitator, log onto the Nairaland website, and perform a quick search. From the list of agents provided, read through the comments of clients to identify the facilitator that’s highly rated by importers who have used their services in the past.
Or better still, you can get in touch with us at DFH Logistics to help you facilitate the sourcing and shipping of goods to Nigeria, all in record time.
Best Shipping Agent from China to Nigeria
For years, DFH Global Logistics has been involved in the facilitation of international trade between China and Nigeria. Our freight forwarding service is curated to serve the economic interest of importers who work with us. We can guarantee the safe handling of your cargo and ensure that you get your shipment in due time and also in good condition. We also work with reliable agents, carriers, and facilitators to ensure that you suffer no losses of any kind when shipping items from China into Nigeria. We offer the following services.
- Transportation and General Logistics
- Packing and Listing
- Warehousing
- Cargo onboarding
- Product sourcing
- Shipping cost evaluation
To find out more about shipping rates on other relevant information, contact us today and let us make your endeavor worthwhile experience.
FAQ
What can I import from China to Nigeria to make money?
There is quite a lot you can import into Nigeria. In fact, the list is limitless. You can import human hair, industrial machinery, electronics, phones, accessories, and lots more.
How to import goods from China to Nigeria online?
There are multiple platforms you can use to import online, but the most popular of them all is Alibaba. Alibaba contains a rich directory of Chinese manufacturers and suppliers, along with information regarding the goods they supply.
How to start import business from China?
Starting an importation business is easy. All you have to do is to:
- Do a market analysis of items the market demand but not produced at all or in significant quantities in Nigeria, along with their current market prices.
- Read through Nigeria’ importation guidelines to know your import rights.
- Do an online search on platforms like Alibaba for items of interest.
- Compare the selling price with the market price as well as the extra shipping and handling costs to be sure that it is profitable.
- Identify a freight forwarding company (DFH Global Logistics) to handle the logistics in China.
- Facilitate payment for item procurement and shipping costs.
A Comprehensive guide for shipping from China to Nigeria
This guide equips you with all the information you need while shipping goods from China to the Nigeria.