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USED PERSONAL EFFECTS

Documents required for importation


into Nigeria
(returning Nigerian citizen)

NIGERIA
KEY REGULATIONS
Qualification
In order to qualify to import USED personal effects into Nigeria, the Nigerian returning citizen must
comply with the following:

Must possess a valid Nigerian passport (e-passport)


Minimum duration of stay out of Nigeria : 9 months uninterrupted
Must not have visited Nigeria for more than 60 days total over the 2 years preceding his return
to Nigeria
Must be relocating to Nigeria for good and be physically present in Nigeria at the time of
arrival of the shipment, and for the whole duration of the clearing process
Must have obtained a personal TIN (Tax Identification Number) from the FIRS (Federal Inland
Revenue Services)

Customs will check all entry and exit stamps in the Nigerian passport(s) to assess compliance with the
above. The returning Nigerian citizen MUST be physically present in Nigeria during the customs
clearing process. Note that Nigerian customs often query returning residents whose records show a lot
of travels in and out of Nigeria in the few months preceding their last entry in Nigeria.
Prohibited items

Importation of fire arms or any other weapon for whatsoever reason without obtaining
government permit is not allowed. Also not allowed into Nigeria is any kind of toy or antique
resembling fire arm or other weapon (sword, spear, bow, etc.)
Importation of NEW furniture is prohibited in Nigeria and will attract heavy fine and/or
duties/taxes from Customs, at worst the goods will be seized. OLD furniture in large
quantities (more than a set of furniture per room) will attract fine and duties/taxes from
Customs.
Importation of new electronic equipment and appliances, and other luxury or expensive items
may attract taxes and duties.
Food and beverage
Medicines and controlled drugs
Indecent/obscene/pornographic material in any form
Counterfeit/pirated items / currencies
Silver or metal alloy coins not being legal tender in Nigeria
No vehicles older than 8 years at the time of arrival in Nigeria can be imported in Nigeria.
Vehicles are subject to payment of taxes and duties.

For the latest on customs regulations in Nigeria / complete list of prohibited items, please refer to the
Nigerian customs website: www.customs.gov.ng

Residence address in
Nigeria:
Permanent email address:
Telephone number 1 (GSM)
Telephone number 2:
Date : .

Signature : ......................................

DOCUMENTS TO BE PROVIDED BY
THE OWNER OF THE PERSONAL EFFECTS
Original Nigerian passport(s) - COMPULSORY
Your original Nigerian passport(s) will be required for the whole duration of the clearing
process. Nigerian authorities will check all the entry and exit stamps in your passport to
assess your qualification to import personal effects. E-passport is compulsory since the
beginning of 2012. (See FAQ for more details on passport(s) required).
Full contact details and residence address in Nigeria - COMPULSORY
Complete residence address in Lagos
Description of access (floors, elevators, possibility of parking a trailer truck close to
entrance of your residence)
E-mail address
2 telephone numbers
Valued inventory COMPULSORY
A dated and signed valued inventory of your personal effects is required.
Letter of refund of container deposit / excess demurrage COMPULSORY (sea freight)
If your removal is coming by sea freight, we will pay the demurrage charges to the shipping
line and the container deposit (if any) on your behalf in the course of the clearing process. We
will provide in due course a template of the letter for you to sign, requesting the shipping line
to refund the container deposit and the excess demurrage charged if any, to us directly.
Vehicle documentation COMPULSORY (for vehicles by sea freight)
Complete documentation for the vehicle is required, mainly proof of ownership and the
registration card or equivalent showing type, model, engine/chassis number and other
features of the vehicle. Chassis number and year of manufacture MUST appear on the BL.
Letter of introduction from employer in Nigeria RECOMMENDED
It is strongly recommended, specially for imports by SEA freight, that you provide a letter
(original on letterhead) from your employer in Nigeria stating:
A brief history of your employment abroad (if you have been employed by the same
company)
The position you will be filling with your company in Nigeria
If you have been travelling in and out of Nigeria in the months preceding your return,
for professional reasons, the letter should state the reasons
Any other proof of employment/residence abroad RECOMMENDED
Also recommended, specially for imports by SEA freight, are documents proving you have
been residing abroad such as:
Letter from your employer abroad stating the duration of employment abroad, position
held etc.
Copy of letter of termination of contract
Any other supporting document

The key regulations for import of personal effects in Nigeria and the list of documents required /
recommended, is provided as a guideline, based on current customs regulations and our own
experience in clearing personal effects in Nigeria.
I, undersigned., have read and understood the key
regulations to import personal effects into Nigeria, the list of documents to be provided for import, and
the Frequently Asked Questions provided by AGS Nigeria / Africa Worldwide Removals.
I understand that AGS is not responsible for any change in customs regulations, or additional
details/documents not mentioned above, which may be requested by the customs on a case by case
basis.

Date : .

Signature : ......................................

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


A) I need to bring my passport and resident permit to your office, where are you
located?
Our office address is : 27B Liverpool Road, Apapa, Lagos.
Our office mobile number is : 0803 979 5500

B) I am residing in Nigeria, in a city other than Lagos, how can I send my passport
across to you?
If you have no possibility to bring your passport physically to our office, you can courier it by
Fedex or DHL to our office:
Africa Worldwide Removals Ltd, 27B Liverpool Road, Apapa, Lagos.
Attention : Femi Owolabi - 0803 979 5500

C) I dont yet have a Nigerian e-passport, what should I do?


You must obtain an e-passport from your Nigerian Embassy/Consulate abroad if you are still
abroad, or from relevant Nigerian authorities in Nigeria if you have already repatriated to
Nigeria. Nigerian authorities have begun enforcing the use of this e-passport and may deny
qualification to import without it.

D) I hold several Nigerian passports (current and old), which ones should I provide?
You should provide all the passports covering your period of stay abroad at least the past 2
years of your expatriation and showing proof of residence abroad for extended period of
time. The Nigerian customs will scrutinize entry/exit stamps and residence visas in your
passport to assess your qualification to import used personal effects into the country.

E) I am a Nigerian with dual nationality, which passports should I provide?


You should provide both the Nigerian and foreign passports.

F) What is the TIN (Tax Identification Number), and how do I obtain it?
The request must be made to your nearest FIRS (Federal Inland Revenue Services) office.
Our office can process it on your behalf (administrative fees may apply), but please note that
we have no guarantees over the delays from the FIRS.
The following information is requested in order to apply for issuance of TIN:
o
o
o
o

clear passport copy (bio-data page)


residence address in Lagos
Nigerian mobile number
Valid e-mail address

If requesting us to process the TIN, please make sure you fill in all the requested information
on the first page of this form and return to us. At the time of writing this, it can take 2 weeks or
more for the FIRS to issue a TIN and register it in the Nigerian Single Window for Trade
(NSW) system.
Once this is done, the next step is to register the valid TIN with the Nigerian Customs Services
(NCS), on the NSW website: https://www.trade.gov.ng/firs/registration/validate.do

Upon completion, an email is sent to the individuals inbox, with a link to complete the
validation process. Only once this is done, can our agent commence the clearing process.

G) At which stage should the requested documents be provided?


The letters from your company in Nigeria and abroad should be provided prior to the arrival of
your consignment in Nigeria.
The TIN must be issued and validated in the Nigerian Customs system prior to the arrival of
the consignment in Nigeria.
Your passport(s) will be required as we get confirmation of arrival of your shipment, or a few
days before that.

H) I will need to retrieve my passport(s) during the clearing process, is it possible?


It is possible to return your passports during the clearing process, although, depending on
which stage our agent is in the clearing process, it will most likely stall the process until the
passport(s) is returned to us. It may also make it more likely that Nigerian authorities will be
raising queries on your qualification to import personal effects.
Please give us 48 hours advance notice in order to retrieve your passport if this is required.
I) Is it possible to process the clearing with photocopies of my passport(s)?
No, it is not possible. There are different authorities involved in the clearing process (several
customs units, NDLEA, SSS, immigration, shipping line, etc.), and all of them are liable to
request the original passport(s) at any time during the clearing process. Even legalized copies
will not be accepted. Original is mandatory.

J) I want to import personal effects into Nigeria, although I am not repatriating to


Nigeria. Is it possible?
No, it is not possible. Nigerian authorities will check the entry and exit stamps in your passport
to check that the last stamp is an entry stamp into Nigeria, and that you are actually
repatriating in Nigeria. You will need to be physically present in Nigeria during the clearing
process.

K) I want to import personal effects into Nigeria by sea freight, from two different
origins. Is it possible?
No, it is not possible. Nigerian authorities will allow ONE import by sea freight and ONE import
by air freight for a returning Nigerian citizen. Both air and sea freight imports should take place
within a reasonable period of time (a few months).

L) The company for which I have been working abroad is not the same as the one which
is going to employ me in Nigeria. What kind of supporting documents should I provide?
In this situation, we do recommend that you provide:
- a letter from your former employer abroad stating nature of employment, location,
duration of employment etc. and/or a copy of letter of termination of contract, and
- a letter from your new employer in Nigeria, introducing you as a new employee, and
stating date of commencement of employment, position etc.

M) How long will the clearing process last?

For an air freight import, the process usually lasts about 5 working days on average
from the time of submission of import documents to our agent, if no issue specific
issues from the airline or issues/queries from the Nigerian authorities.

For a sea freight import, the duration of the clearing process is variable and depends
on many factors such as current level of congestion at the port and terminal to which
your container will be allocated, the availability of the customs to process the clearing,
possible breakdowns in the customs system, the shipping line system etc., and the
possible queries from Nigerian authorities on your qualification to import or on the
contents of your container. We are experiencing an average of 4 weeks from the time
all the documentation is submitted to our clearing agent, if no specific issue / queries
from the authorities.

N) My sea freight shipment has arrived in Nigeria but I cannot immediately release my
passport to clear the shipment. What are the consequences?
This is an issue. Delaying the clearing of your container will result in additional extra charges
(demurrage and storage), which are charged on a daily basis by shipping line and terminal. In
addition, please note that in theory, we have a maximum of 28 days after arrival of the
container to start the clearing process. After that delay, Nigerian Customs theoretically have
the right to seize your container.

O) I am importing a vehicle into Nigeria, what should I expect?


Please ensure that the vehicle you are importing will be less than 8 years old at the time of
arrival in Nigeria.
Customs will assess the amount of duties and taxes to be paid on your vehicle based on the
documents provided, and issue a debit note to be paid accordingly. Payment will have to be
effected before the customs clearing process itself can commence.
Once the clearing process is completed, please note that the vehicle will be offloaded from the
container at our premises in Surulere, Lagos, and will have to be collected by yourself or a
representative.

P) Will there be any additional charges to be paid by me or my company prior to


delivery?
For imports by air freight : most of them incur a few days worth of storage charges at the
airport. Storage is paid to NAHCO (Nigerian Aviation Handling Company), for keeping the
consignment in their warehouse during the clearing process.
For imports by sea freight : they always attract demurrage and storage charges during the
clearing process, because the container cannot be cleared in the number of free days allowed
by the shipping line and terminal. After a number of free days, these daily charges increase by
periods, and can reach USD 60 to USD 100 per day (storage + demurrage), depending on the
terminal and shipping line involved, and the type of container.

Demurrage = charges paid to the shipping line for renting their container, applicable
from the day of discharge of container from vessel to return of empty container to the
terminal after delivery. Shipping lines offer 5 to 21 days free.
Storage = charges paid to the terminal for keeping the container on their grounds,
applicable from the day of discharge from vessel to the day the container is trucked out
of terminal for delivery. Terminals in Nigeria normally offer 3 days free only.

Those storage and demurrage charges are almost always excluded from removal companies
quotations, because the amounts cannot be known in advance.
If your removal is handled door to door by your company, those charges are most of the time
paid by your company either at origin or destination. However, if you have contracted your
removal personally with the removal company of your choice, it is most likely that you will be
responsible for the payment of these charges locally check the quotation/contract you have
received from them, and the services excluded. The amount of these charges shall be known
just before the exit of the container and have to be settled prior to delivery. Depending on the
situation, these charges have to be either approved, or 100% paid prior to delivery.
Other extra charges that can arise are for example linked to delay on customers side to
receive items once the clearing process is completed, abnormal access to residence, change
of delivery address, delivery to areas subject to toll gate such as Lekki or Banana Island,
delivery outside city limits see next FAQs for more details. these charges could be for your
own account depending on who contracted the removal at origin.

Q) I will not be ready to receive my sea freight consignment at the time the clearing
process will be over. What other arrangements can be made?
Once the clearing process is completed, it is preferable to truck the container out of the port
without further delay. If you are not ready to receive your personal effects, or cannot have a
representative receive them on your behalf at the time the container is taken out of the port,
the two options which can normally be used are:

Offloading of your packages from the container into our warehouse space permitting.
Storage charges will apply and redelivery will be done with boxbody trucks.
Dropping of container in our yard. Container will be loaded back on truck at the time of
delivery.

Please note that these options will generate significant extra costs, which will be assessed and
communicated on a case by case basis.

R) The access to my compound/residence does not allow trailers / large trucks to enter.
The distance from the gate of my compound to the access of my residence is long.
What arrangements can be made?
In this type of situations, we usually offload the contents of the container in our warehouse,
and use smaller trucks (about 10-15 cbm capacity), which can access most compounds, to
shuttle the packages to your residence.
These situations generate extra handling and shuttle fees.

S) How will I be advised of the delivery date of my personal effects at my residence?


Our operations department will keep you informed regarding the clearing process. Once we
reach the last stage of the process, we usually can provide a tentative/estimated delivery date
a few days in advance.
For air freight, we will schedule delivery with you once the consignment has been trucked out
of the port and is in our possession.
For sea freight, due to the general situation at Lagos and the resulting logistical constraints,
we often have to confirm customers on short notice of the actual delivery date (i.e. the day
before delivery, once the container is confirmed out of the terminal).

T) Is there anything I should do prior to the arrival of the shipment / delivery crew?
Depending on your compound / residence management, you may have to advise them in
advance of the arrival of a truck carrying your container, so they can grant authorization /
make necessary arrangements.
There are often third party persons / companies entering / exiting residences during the
moving process (e.g. maintenance, maid/cook etc.). We therefore request that you keep all
valuables, private paperwork, passports etc., locked away in a safe place in your residence.
We cannot accept responsibility if this type of items are reported missing during the course of
the delivery.
U) Will the crew check my residence / property for pre-existing damage?
Yes, the team leader is required to inspect your residence prior to proceeding with delivery,
and complete a form with you.
V) I have received my belongings and have noticed some damages / discrepancies.
How should I proceed?
Please mention the discrepancies with as many details as possible on the AGS Delivery Form,
and send us an email notifying us of the issues.
If your shipment is not insured with AGS, you will need to inform and process your claim with
the party which insured your belongings for this removal.
If insurance has been issued by AGS for your removal, please refer to the following files
contained in this package for more information:

How to file a claim


Claim form
Client information

Please note that your claim must be submitted to us within 10 calendar days from the date of
delivery, to be taken into consideration.

W) I need some additional information / I have some other questions, who are my
contacts?
Femi Owolabi
Imports Manager
Mobile : 0803 979 5500
operations-lagos@agsmovers.com
Ngozi Okoye
Operations Manager
Mobile : 0803 979 5500
operations-lagos@agsmovers.com

Francois Astoul
Lagos Branch Manager
Mobile : 0809 992 3987
manager-lagos@agsmovers.com

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