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MOSES FREIGHTS LIMITED is equipped to process and document project related importation and export of tools, equipment and consumables. We have described below, the general procedure for the importation of goods into Nigeria. Please, click here for the general procedure for the exportation of goods into Nigeria
Upon
assemblage of the goods for import into
Nigeria, the Importer's Agent
(Shipper) abroad invites the Pre-shipment
Inspection Agent (PIA) covering the country of origin of the goods. The PIAs
are appointed by the Nigerian Government for inspection and administration of
imports into Nigeria. The PIA proceeds to inspect the goods in order to: 1.Certify that the goods are not contraband in Nigeria 2.Ascertain
the correctness of the manifest and
value of the goods 3.Determine
the duty payable on the goods and raise a Clean Report of Inspection (CRI)
certificate 4.Dispatch
Clean Report of Inspection (CRI) to
Nigerian office of PIA for further processing 5.Issue
approval for the export of the goods to Nigeria After
the approval of the export to Nigeria, the shipper delivers the goods to a Shipping
Company for freighting to Nigeria. The shipping company then issues a Bill
of Lading to cover the goods after necessary documentation has been made.
Upon arrival in Nigeria, the importer and or his agent proceeds as follows: 6.Pick
up the original Bill of Lading from the Shipping Company 7.Obtain
the packing list and commercial
invoice from the Shipper 8.Obtain
a permit to clear goods from the
importer 9.Locate
the cargo at the wharf to ensure
arrival 10.Pay
assessed duty through approved
collecting bank and obtain a duty receipt 11.Pick
up CRI and attested invoice from the approved collecting bank after duty payment
has been made and receipt obtained 12.Prepare
an entry on a customs Single Goods Declaration (SGD) form 13.Lodge the entry with the Customs Processing Center (CPC) where it passes through several stages for verification. Thereafter,
the agent proceeds to obtain the Customs
Release after physical examination of landed cargo to ensure correct
manifesting of cargo and compliance with existing regulations. Examination
involves several customs units including the Assessment unit, the Valuation
unit, the Enforcement unit, and other government agencies like the NDLEA, NAFDAC,
SON, Firearms and Prohibition, Quarantine etc. Upon
customs release of the cargo, the next stage is to obtain the Shipping Company
service charges and to make payments to the carrier's agent and obtain a
receipt. With such a receipt, the Shipping
Company Release (SCR) is obtained. With
the Customs and Shipping Company releases, the next stage is to obtain the Nigerian
Ports Authority (NPA) Release.
The NPA release is issued only upon the settlement of all NPA charges concerning
the cargo. Such charges include statutory charges and demurrage for goods that
spend more than the nominal one week at the wharf. Armed
with the NPA release, the next step is to obtain the Terminal Delivery Order (TDO). This will only be issued upon
presentation of the Customs, Shipping Company and NPA releases. With
the TDO, the cargo is deemed fully
cleared and ready for evacuation from the wharf to the importer's facility.
Freighting of cargo by air is mostly necessitated by the urgency surrounding the use of such consignment. On the average, airfreights are small in size and weight. On certain occasions, large consignments are freighted via air for the special reason mentioned above. In comparative terms, airfreight delivery is much faster but more expensive than sea freight. Clearing
air freighted cargo follows the same general procedure as sea freight cargo
excepting for changes in nomenclature. In this regard, Airlines handle the
shipment, and issue Air Waybills (AWBs). Also, release is obtained from the
Nigeria Airports Handling Company (NAHCO) or the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN).
Some
freight, especially government projects related cargo, enjoy import duty
exemption status. For this to be possible the importer needs to obtain a Duty
Exemption Certificate from the Federal Ministry of Finance and endorsed to the
Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service. In such cases of
exemptions, the exemption number must be quoted on all the shipping documents
pertaining to the consignment. Exemptions must be specific and must outline all
aspects of the shipment that are so intended. Import procedure for duty exempt cargo follows the same outline as with general cargo described above. The CRI will hence bear zero duty but all other payments apply. |
Send mail to ike@mosesfreights.com with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2003 Moses Freights Limited, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. This site was last modified by TheManCalledMalik on June 19, 2005 |
