China is Nigeria's largest source of imported goods, and markets from Lagos to Kano and Onitsha are full of products that started in Chinese factories. Importing directly can cut out several middlemen, but Nigeria is also one of the most document-heavy markets in Africa: Form M, the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report, SONCAP certificates for regulated products and an import prohibition list that changes over time.
This guide explains what a small business needs to know about importing from China to Nigeria in 2026, how to choose between air and sea, and how ordering on soorce with delivery duties paid (DDP) takes clearance off your hands.
What you can import, and what you cannot
A wide range of goods can be imported into Nigeria: phone and computer accessories, small electronics, kitchenware and cookware, lighting, tools, machinery parts, auto spare parts, hair and beauty accessories, packaging and many household goods.
Before anything else, check the import prohibition list. Nigeria bans the import of certain goods from outside ECOWAS to protect local industry. The list was revised in 2026, and items that have featured on it in the past include used clothing, some textile fabrics, certain footwear and bags, and some furniture. Do not order a product until you have confirmed it is not on the current list.
- SONCAP: regulated products (electrical goods, building materials, auto parts, many consumer goods) need a Product Certificate and a SONCAP Certificate under the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
- Food, drugs, cosmetics, chemicals and some packaged water and drinks must be registered with NAFDAC before import.
- Telecom and radio equipment needs type approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
- Weapons, counterfeit goods and items on the absolute prohibition schedule cannot be imported. Check with your customs authority for regulated goods.
Customs duty, VAT and documents in Nigeria in 2026
Nigeria applies the ECOWAS Common External Tariff, with duty bands from 0% to 35% on the CIF value (goods plus freight and insurance to Nigeria). Raw materials and capital goods sit in the low bands and finished consumer goods in the higher ones. Some products also carry an import adjustment tax, and the 2026 fiscal policy measures changed both rates and the prohibition list, so check the current figure for your tariff code.
VAT is 7.5%, charged on the CIF value plus duty and levies. On top of duty and VAT, the Nigeria Customs Service collects several smaller levies and surcharges, and port and terminal charges are added at clearance.
Low-value parcels: there is no useful duty-free threshold for goods brought in to sell. Every commercial import is assessed and taxed.
- Form M must be registered on the Nigeria Trade Single Window before the goods ship.
- A Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) is issued by customs before clearance.
- Customs also wants the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill and, where relevant, the SONCAP certificate.
- Under-declaring value or misclassifying goods leads to demand notices, penalties and long delays at the port.
How DDP delivery removes the hassle
DDP means delivered duty paid. With soorce, the price you pay at checkout includes freight from China, Nigerian customs clearance, the duty and the VAT. Our logistics partner handles the clearance and delivers to your address, so you are not chasing an agent at Apapa or Lagos airport or paying an unexpected demand notice to release your goods.
We check the supplier and inspect your order in China before it ships, so what reaches customs matches what you paid for. Two things stay your responsibility: the product must not be on the prohibition list, and regulated products must meet SONCAP or NAFDAC rules for sale in Nigeria. Ask us before ordering anything regulated, because a certificate can add cost and time.
Air or sea freight: which one pays off
Air freight is billed per kilo, and light but bulky cartons are billed on their volume (length × width × height in cm ÷ 6,000). It suits phone accessories, small electronics, hair and beauty items, samples and anything with a high value per kilo. It also avoids long port dwell times.
Sea freight costs much less per kilo but takes several weeks door to door, and Nigerian sea lines usually bill from a sizeable minimum weight. It pays off for heavy goods with a lower value per kilo, such as cookware, tools, machinery parts, tiles and packaging, once the order is big enough to meet that minimum.
The box below shows soorce's current door-to-door rates to Nigeria, duties and VAT included, for a few sample weights.
Worked example: 100 cookware sets to Lagos
Say you order 100 stainless steel cookware sets at $12 each, $1,200 of goods. Boxed and packed in cartons they weigh about 120 kg. The table prices this order with today's door-to-door rates by air and by sea, with Nigerian duty and VAT already included in the shipping line.
Divide the delivered total by 100 to get your landed cost per set and compare it with prices at your local market. The final weight is confirmed once the goods are packed in China, so the figure can change slightly.
100 stainless steel cookware sets, bugünkü fiyat
| Kalem | Hava | Deniz |
|---|---|---|
| Ürünler | $1,200.00 | $1,200.00 |
| Teslimat, gümrük vergileri ve harçlar (yaklaşık 120 kg) | $983.22 | $219.60 |
| Teslim dahil toplam | $2,183.22 | $1,419.60 |
| Adet başına, teslim dahil | $21.83 | $14.20 |
Kargo, bu ağırlık için bugünkü canlı ücretleri kullanır. Ürün tutarı örnek bir fiyattır; gerçek toplamınız ödeme adımında gösterilir.
How to order on soorce, step by step
- Search or browse factory products and open a product page to see the price per piece, the minimum quantity and the delivered price to Nigeria.
- Add the quantities you need to your cart. Orders start from 100 pieces or $1,000; a smaller order can be sent as a request and our team will tell you whether it can go ahead.
- At checkout choose air or sea, enter your delivery address in Nigeria and pay securely online at checkout. Prices are in US dollars.
- We confirm the order with the factory, check the supplier and inspect the goods before they leave China, and send you photos if anything is wrong.
- The shipment is cleared through Nigerian customs with duty and VAT paid and delivered to your door. You can follow every stage from your account.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Ordering goods without checking the current import prohibition list.
- Assuming every product can enter without SONCAP or NAFDAC registration.
- Comparing the factory price with market prices without adding freight, duty, levies and VAT.
- Shipping a small order by sea and paying the line's minimum weight anyway.
- Buying fake branded goods: counterfeits are seized and can lead to penalties.
Sık sorulan sorular
How much is import duty from China to Nigeria?
Nigeria uses the ECOWAS Common External Tariff, from 0% to 35% on the CIF value depending on the product, plus 7.5% VAT and several smaller levies. With soorce's DDP delivery these are included in the price at checkout.
What is Form M?
Form M is the mandatory import registration filed on the Nigeria Trade Single Window before goods are shipped. When you order on soorce with DDP delivery, our logistics partner handles the import formalities.
Do I need a SONCAP certificate?
If your product is regulated by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, yes. Many electrical goods, building materials and auto parts are. Ask us before ordering and check with your customs authority for regulated goods.
Which goods are banned from import into Nigeria?
Nigeria keeps an import prohibition list for goods from outside ECOWAS, revised in 2026. Check the current list published by the Nigeria Customs Service before you order.
How long does shipping from China to Nigeria take?
Air takes days rather than weeks once the goods leave our warehouse in China; sea takes several weeks. The live transit window for each method is shown in the shipping box on this page and at checkout.
What is the minimum order on soorce?
Orders start from 100 pieces or $1,000 of goods. Smaller orders can be sent as a request, and our team will confirm whether they can go ahead.
Kaynaklar
- Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)
- Federal Ministry of Finance (fiscal policy measures and import prohibition list)
- Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)
- National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC)
- Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
- Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS)
Bu rehber genel bilgi niteliğindedir ve Kasım 2026'da yukarıdaki resmi kurumlarla karşılaştırılmıştır. Kurallar değişebilir ve bazı ürünler düzenlemeye tabidir: düzenlemeye tabi ürünleri sipariş etmeden önce gümrük idarenize danışın.