shipping of cars to Nigeria from USA, UK, Canada and Germany

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Shipping of cars to Nigeria from USA, UK, Germany, Canada

Shipping of cars to Nigeria from different counties like USA, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada and others is common to Nigerians. Most imported cars are used cars that have been driven for like 1-5 years from the day of manufacture. This is due to high import duty of cars placed by Nigeria Customs services. Cars from USA, UK, and Germany are cheap. The prices are affordable.

Nigeria Customs service policy on imported cars to Nigeria

Nigeria customs service has restriction on the type of cars that can be imported in terms of years of manufacture. The cars must be more than 15 years from the day of manufacture. Let’s say the car is manufactured in 2000, you are expected to import such car in 2017. This regulation is for the safety of our road network. Imagine 15 years old machine, moving on Nigerian road, the imported car may break down or malfunction that can cause lose of precious lives.

Shipping methods for imported car to Nigeria

Nigeria importers of cars from countries like USA, Germany, China, UK, Japan and some others need to know the best methods from shipping of cars. This will assist to avoid extra cost of clearing of cars in Nigeria. Extra cost is cash deposit for container return, terminal fee, shipping and even the demurrage charges.

Shipping of cars to Nigeria using RORO (Roll on, Roll off)

This type of shipping of cars to Nigeria is cost effective because cost of paying for container is not involved. The cars will be driven inside the ship at ports of loading. It would be driven out at the ports of delivery. In most cases, the cars are free of dents from container pressure.

Moreover, the deposit and retention charges by the shipping and terminal operators will not be included. The cost of transportation of the containers from the ports will not be additional cost.

Containerized shipping methods for cars importation to Nigeria

This method is only useful if you have other items that you want to add to the cars shipped by the importers. The shipping method is mostly used by merchants in order to maximize the cost of shipping other goods to Nigeria.

Documents needed to process customs clearance for shipping cars to Nigeria

The most document need by the Nigeria customs to clear imported cars to Nigeria is bill of lading. This document will describe the specification of the shipped cars. It will determine the import duty on the cars. Valuation will be performed by the customs to know the rate the importers will pay.

The other documents that will be needed are  commercial invoice by the car dealers. Also, packing list by the dealers will be issued to show the right specifications of the cars. Shipping Insurance can be issued to secure the transportation of the cars against loss, shipwreck, and damages by the shipping lines.

More to shipping of cars from UK, USA, Germany, China to Nigeria

With the above explanations of different ways to import cars to Nigeria, I will advise the importers to seek the advice from the customs agents that understand the clearing and shipping methods to instruct the method. This will assist the importers to avoid demurrage charges, excess charges in case of using containers to ship cars.

Do you need a shipping company that can assist you to ship your cars to Nigeria? Let’s talk about it

Follow Michael Adewale:

International Freight Forwarder, Shipping Consultant and Customs Clearing Agent

He is Chief Executive Officer at Distinctcushy Global Freight Forwarding Company Limited, an International Freight forwarding company and Customs Clearing Broker in Lagos, Nigeria. He loves integrity and value honesty with importers and Exporters in Nigeria and abroad.

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