Container shipping to Nigeria refers to the process of transporting goods from one country to Nigeria using standardized containers via sea freight. This method is widely used for international trade, where goods are securely packed into containers—typically 20-foot or 40-foot in length—and shipped across oceans to Nigerian ports like Apapa, Tin Can Island, or Onne.
There is some fundamental knowledge about Container Shipping to Nigeria that you'll need to achieve seamless container delivery through Nigerian seaports.
In this post, I will show you the step-by-step procedure of how container shipping works, from your international supplier to the seaport of discharge in Nigeria. This material also explains the elements of the container shipping process flow, from the international supplier through to delivery at your destination in Nigeria.
◙ Import / Agent to Open of Form M. When it comes to container shipping to Nigeria via seaport, the law is very clear about steps you are required to take to successfully ship your containerized goods by Sea Freight Shipping. But let me give you this golden advice; That before you proceed to Nigeria Single Window Trade portal or approaching your authorized dealer Bank to Open Form 'M', or e-form M, I strongly advise you to analyze your shipment for importation into Nigeria. In analyzing your shipment to be shipped via sea shipping, you should do the following shipment analysis-
a. What is the shipment (nature of goods)?
b. Where is the cargo coming from (cargo origin)?
c. What is the Harmonized system code (HS code)?
d. Is the shipment permitted for importation into Nigeria (prohibited or permitted for Importation)?
e. Will it require a regular container (20ft or 40ft or HQ) or will it require an open top container?
These and others, to be explained in detail below are among the basic analysis that you must carry out on the shipment before you go further to open form M. Doing those would save you time and excuses your shipment from rejection that customs are used to on shipment that are not well analyzed or not in compliance to shipping guidelines in Nigeria.
You can read more on “Import Guidelines, Procedures and Documentation Requirements under the Destination Inspection Scheme in Nigeria”.
READ 5 SIMPLE STEPS TO OPEN FORM M
◙ Shipper loads container from exporting country. Valid form M, approved by NCS is required by the exporting country to load containers into the vessel. Upon registration of the e-form 'M' by Nigeria customs service (NCS), the importer shall transmit the registered e-form M to the supplier / shipper, to advise the supplier to arrange the shipment of the goods / container(s).
◙ Shipper sends final shipping documents to consignee, through authorized dealer's Bank. Now that the importer has transmitted the e-form M to the shipper, and shipper shall consign the container for shipment. The oversea supplier shall make available the following document, also known as final shipping document.
1. Two sets each, of original combined certificate of Value and origin (CCVO).
2. Transport documents i.e., Bill of Lading (BofL).
3. Packing list through oversea corresponding Bank to the Authorized dealer Bank in Nigeria.
4. Final Purchase Invoice.
Read more under “Responsibilities of the Supplier”!
◙ Consignee via Customs single window processes and generates PAAR. Generating Pre-arrival and Assessment report (PAAR) is one such responsibilities of your authorized dealer bank. Upon receipt of the final shipping document, the Bank shall endorse and upload the final shipping documents to the Pre-arrival assessment report (PAAR) system for issuance of PAAR. For detail,
READ more under “Responsibilities of Authorized dealer Banks,”
◙ Consignee / Importer gives all shipping documents, Form M, PAAR, Original Bill of Lading and other related Regulatory requirement(s) documents to his/her customs clearing agent.
We are a Nigerian freight forwarder helping companies and Individuals to deliver large goods in 20 & 40ft sizes including HQ container(s) to Nigeria through Tincan and Apapa sea ports.
◙ Shipping Container from oversea to Nigeria: Container shipping works well when you employ the service of a professional freight forwarder with wider coverage.
Container shipping service will deliver large goods to Nigeria from; Germany, France, China, India, Bangladesh, Italy, Spain, UK / United Kingdom, USA / America, Poland, Singapore, Taiwan, Finland, Canada, Australia, Sweden, Holland / Netherland, Japan, and Dubai/UAE.
Do you have a 20ft or 40ft container to ship to Nigeria? Valuehandlers Facilitate Commerce and Individuals' logistics requirements through innovative ideas and solutions.
Check-out our Sea Freight to Nigeria shipping services for other alternative shipping methods.
About the Author: Adetayo George-Adewoye is a freight broker and logistics professional. Adetayo introduced pre-shipment consulting services into the shipping industry in 2012. We started seaport operations since 2012 when we delivered cargo in a shared container to Nigeria for Prof. Musa Aibinu of the, then Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, and has thus acquired expertise in container shipping from major international seaports to Nigeria- As of December 2024, we have delivered hundreds of containers via Apapa, Tincan and Onne Sea ports to Nigerian businesses and individuals.
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