🇳🇬How to import into Nigeria
To import into Nigeria, most goods clear customs freely, but specific sectors need a permit, product registration or import licence from a named regulator before the shipment lands. A legitimate importer of those goods holds the current document, ask for it and check it at the source.
Sector import rules
These sectors carry their own import requirement in Nigeria. For each, a legitimate importer holds the document named below, issued by the named regulator. Ask for it, then verify it at the source.
- alcohol/wineRegistration required
product registration from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Importer must complete NAFDAC global product registration and obtain an import clearance for commercial distribution.
Official source - chemicalsImport permit required
import permit from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Importer must obtain a Chemical Import Permit for controlled industrial chemicals through the NAFDAC portal.
Official source - cosmeticsRegistration required
product registration from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Importer must submit a cosmetic product registration application via the NAFDAC e-Registration platform.
Official source - pharmaceuticalsRegistration required
product registration from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Importer must apply for product registration and obtain an Import Permit for unregistered products through the NAFDAC portal.
Official source - telecom/radio equipmentImport permit required
conformity certificate from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Importer must apply for Type Approval of the equipment before importation via the NCC portal.
Official source - used goodsImport permit required
conformity certificate from the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
Importer must obtain a SONCAP Certificate (SON Conformity Assessment Programme) issued by accredited international testing agencies.
Official source
This is a factual pointer to public rules, not legal advice, and the list is not exhaustive.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a licence to import into Nigeria?
- It depends on the product. General goods clear Nigeria customs without a sector licence, but regulated sectors (alcohol/wine, chemicals, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, telecom/radio equipment) require a specific permit, registration or licence from the regulator named on this page.
- How do I check an importer in Nigeria is allowed to bring in my product?
- Ask the buyer for the import permit or product-registration number for the sector, then confirm it with the named regulator. A genuine importer of regulated goods already holds one; a buyer who cannot produce it may not clear customs.
- Is importing a specific product into Nigeria ever banned?
- Most sectors are permitted with the right licence or registration. Always confirm the current rule with the named regulator before shipping.
Nigeria suppliers by sector
Manufacturers and wholesalers based in Nigeria, with the open-record facts we hold on each and a link to the free public source behind them.
Importing for the first time? Read the first-time importer sequence (country choice, maker checks, landed cost, a survivable first order). Sourcing from a specific country? Get the lane answer, sanctions, tariffs and VAT in one place: can Nigeria buy from that country?