Importing from China to Nigeria: a preparation checklist

Identify the goods before placing the order

Describe the exact product, material, intended use, brand, quantity and country of origin. Keep technical information and sample photographs with that description. Similar-looking products can have different classifications or regulatory requirements; a supplier's catalogue category is not a customs decision.

Ask the relevant Nigerian authorities and your authorised bank or qualified customs professional what applies to the shipment. Check restrictions and required product documentation before paying for production. A courier or a small parcel should not be assumed to remove product compliance requirements.

Match the paperwork to the actual product

SON's guidance links Product Certificates and SONCAP Certificates to Form M and customs clearance for SON-regulated imports. That does not mean every product follows the same certification route. If your goods fall within a NAFDAC category, consult NAFDAC's own guidance and confirm the current requirements separately.

Make a document list agreed for your specific shipment. Ask who obtains each item, when it is needed and which goods it describes. Compare the seller's invoice, packing information and proposed certificates for consistent legal names, descriptions and quantities; a document for a different product is not a substitute.

Request a written order and delivery agreement

Specify the sample or specification the production order must match, inspection arrangements, payment milestones and remedies for defects. Identify the contracting seller and any agent or manufacturer involved. Confirm any payment-detail change through a previously verified contact route.

Record the delivery rule, named place and version used in the quote. ICC's Incoterms resources explain responsibilities between buyer and seller. Ask separately about the price, payment terms and what happens if goods fail inspection; delivery terminology does not make those commercial questions disappear.

• Seller identity and written specification
• Quantity, packaging, inspection and acceptance
• Invoice currency, payment milestones and quote validity
• Named delivery point and included freight stages
• Product-specific approvals and shipment documents
• Nigerian delivery and clearance costs still to confirm

Build a budget that exposes missing costs

Convert the supplier's foreign-currency amount at your actual quoted rate, then add separately confirmed charges. Keep duties, taxes and service charges as unverified until their basis is checked for the goods and shipment. Never apply one generic import percentage to every product.

The LagosXchange converter can check currency arithmetic and entered payment fees. It does not classify goods, calculate customs liabilities or arrange an import. Use the result as one line in your worksheet, not an all-in clearance quotation.