Nigeria Import Documents Explained: Form M, PAAR and SONCAP
Three documents sit at the centre of a formal import into Nigeria. Form M is the import declaration you open through an authorised dealer bank before shipment. SONCAP is the Standards Organisation of Nigeria's conformity certification for regulated products, with NAFDAC playing the equivalent role for food, drugs and cosmetics. The PAAR, the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report, is issued by the Nigeria Customs Service once the final shipping documents are in, and your agent uses it to clear the goods. This guide explains each document and why shipments get stuck.
Prêt à sourcer en gros ?
Des milliers d'acheteurs s'approvisionnent auprès de fournisseurs vérifiés sur Towobo.
Find Wholesale Suppliers on Towobo →The documents at a glance and who issues them
It helps to sort Nigerian import paperwork by who produces it. The importer, through an authorised dealer bank, produces Form M. The overseas supplier produces the proforma invoice at the start and, after shipment, the commercial invoice, the packing list and the combined certificate of value and origin, usually shortened to CCVO. The carrier issues the bill of lading for sea freight or the air waybill for air freight. A Nigerian-registered insurer issues the marine or cargo insurance certificate. Regulators issue product approvals: the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, through its accredited inspection firms, issues SONCAP certificates for the products it regulates, and NAFDAC issues registrations and import permits for food, drinks, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices and chemicals. Other agencies have their own permits for specialised goods. Finally, the Nigeria Customs Service issues the PAAR and, after duty is paid and the goods are examined, the customs release. Almost everything is now submitted electronically through government trade and customs platforms, and those platforms have been changing as customs modernises its systems, so rely on your bank and your licensed customs agent for the current procedure instead of on screenshots from an old shipment.