Importing cars into Nigeria is cheap at first phase but not at the last. The last phase, being the clearance phase, isn’t always a bed of roses. But then, the hassles would be nothing with your idea of how to clear imported cars in Nigeria.

The first time I involved myself in a car import, I went through a clearance agent. My first experience wasn’t bad but I’m certain I was cheated and used like a money bag. The next time, I decided to bear the burden alone to save extra cash. If you think it’s a very easy task, you are wrong, it isn’t. The only easy task is negotiating with a dealer and having an agent get your car onboard a ship. So many bureaucratic factors cause the procedure to become tight and stressful.

Moreover, any medium you use for the importation still owes clearance because it’s a basic and necessary phase. It’d have been easier to start using your car without knowing how to clear imported cars in Nigeria. However, for various reasons, clearance is necessary and doesn’t come without costing you some bucks. You should either ready yourself to spend or use the idea of how to clear imported cars in Nigeria wisely.

This article will show you how to clear imported cars in Nigeria the same way I do and with ease. With just 11 steps, your car will be ready for Nigerian roads.

Step 1
Get Your Waybill or Car B/L
The first and foremost thing on how to clear imported cars in Nigeria is to obtain this receipt. B/L is an acronym for Bill of Lading and it is also sometimes represented as BoL. In some cases, it’s called waybill but I prefer to address it as car’s Bill of Lading in this case. This is a receipt given by the carrier to the shipper. It acknowledges the receipt of the car(s) being shipped and specifies the terms of car(s) delivery. It also contains the details of the car you are importing from anywhere to Nigeria and is very important. I need not repeat that it contains the information about the car you ship and would be necessary for clearance. There are two ways of obtaining this receipt. You can get it via any Nigerian courier service that will convenience you or request for a softcopy via mail. In my case, I preferred a softcopy which was forwarded to my mail. I then proceeded to print it as hardcopy to kick-start the clearance procedures.

Step 2
Ascertain Car’s Import Duty
I’d like to explain procedural terms as we progress on how to clear imported cars in Nigeria. Import duty is simply the car importation taxing and does not refer responsibility, as you might think. This step is where a clearing agency would be needed but I successfully scaled it. Since it requires a simple letter writing, there are computer stalls around that’ll draft an agency’s letterhead for you. In fact, they have various registered clearance agency’s letterhead and you’d just have to pick the one your mind prefers. Once the draft is certain and ready, the content should be such that requests import duty valuation of your car. In case you did not obtain your B/L, you need it because you’ll attach it to the letter. It’s, in some cases, the first slip that the Nigerian Customs would look out for.
During this phase, the details of your car on B/L is what determines your car import valuation. For instance, if car B/L details states that your car is new, you’ll incur additional 35% levy from the initial 35% surface duty. I’ll write more on this in the section below where I state the cost of car importation clearance in Nigeria.

Step 3
Obtain Valuation Site and Perform DTI
DTI means Direct Trader Input and refers to the input of car valuation on Customs web base. This should cost just few minutes, if not seconds of your time. This is a simple upload that requires sincerity. I refer to this stage as the ‘property declaration’ stage because you’ll upload info beyond your car. Apart from the car, whatever other item is present in the car must be stated and must undergo import valuation. Besides, if you devalue your import duty, when Step 6 inspection takes place, it’ll affect you with delays and questioning. During this stage, ensure that you have verified with your valid Tax Identification Number (TIN). You would slightly have to rapport with a certified clearance agency at this time to scale this stage. I’m suggesting this in case you do not have TIN. Besides, every process requires the TIN.

Step 4
Print SGD and Assessment Notice
SGD refers to Single Goods Declaration. This step on how to clear imported cars in Nigeria is just a few-seconds step. It involves a simple printing of forms and these forms must contain the appropriate car information. Whatever happens, do not alter or falsify any information about your car. If you should dare to falsify any info, let it not be the Customs import valuation of your car. You might be tempted to do this, but don’t because all of these would be verified again and again before your car exits port. It is moments such as this that also cause people’s car to be impounded.

Step 5
Import Duty Valuation Payment Time
There are two payment options available, it’s either you inconvenience yourself through the bank or simply pay online. Anyways, I won’t digress this writing from what I did. I paid mine through the bank and I also presented my Assessment Notice form to the bank. Whichever payment method you use, do not fail to obtain a payment receipt. If you do not, I’m not sure of other ways you’ll follow to bypass Nigerian Customs without payment verification.

Step 6
Car Details Verification and Inspection
During the times I was preaching ‘sincerity’ up there, it was to avoid setbacks here. Insincerity doesn’t count on how to clear imported cars in Nigeria because you are risking impoundment. This is the time when you’ll submit all the forms you’ve been collecting. They include Bill of Lading (B/L), Payment Receipt (bank or online), Import Duty Valuation Papers, Assessment Notice and Single Goods Declaration (SGD) form. All these forms must be the originals and not photocopies, unless otherwise.
Note, provided information must tally with details on each form or slip. When the inspecting officers come forth, they expect to find exactly what is present on each form. Your car import valuation duty must remain untampered. If there are tampers, they’ll of course be a revaluation of the car import duty. And when it doesn’t correspond, questioning customs eyebrows will stare at you fiercely. If there is an extra imported item in the car, they’ll also verify that it was valued during first stages. If it isn’t valued, it’s regarded as insincerity and you risk further expenses or seizure.


Step 7
SGD Form Submission to Appropriate Shipping Company
The submission of your Single Goods Declaration form follows as step 7 on how to clear imported cars in Nigeria. This is only, but a sort of confirmation that you will be making to show that the car is yours. Simply locate the office of the shipping company responsible for the freighting of your car. Submit the Single Goods Declaration form and obtain a copy of an exit form to proceed. With your shipping company’s exit slip or form in your palms, you’re nearing the end process.

Step 8
Request for Car Release
Here is the stage where you make your final payments to the shippers. Again, you’ll gather your initial forms including B/L, SGD, Copy(s) of Exit and a valid means of identity. Your identity medium could be your valid National ID card, Valid Driver’s License, and even your Voter’s Card. Various shipping agents do have their requirements in terms of your identification but it won’t deviate from this. Also, if you have none of these but your International Passport is in place, it will make a good option. The little problem however, is that you need also, a Customs Authority Card which is renewed annually. This is the form that licensed clearance agencies conventionally possess to qualify them for several other clearances. The shipping firm, in a bid to maintain some form of decadence would demand for it. But then, you can pay it off or obtain surety from a licensed agent to proceed.


Step 9 – Quarter Final
CIU Stamp/Signature
To proceed further on how to clear imported cars in Nigeria, locate the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU). There, do not wait to ask or read what is required to avoid delaying yourself. Simply make ready, the car release document issued to you during the valuation stages. Submit this form alongside the exit copy issued by your car shipper and your payment receipt. Verifications will be carried out and if successful, the document will be stamped and signed by the officer. This process can only be unsuccessful if the servers encounter problems with verification. And of course, this can only be caused by submitting faulted documents.

Step 10 – Semi Final
Proceed to Terminal Operator Office
Here is where you make your final payments and to the terminal operator office. You will be issued a terminal charge or debit note and you’re to pay at designated banks. Return here after making payments to obtain your Delivery Order (DO) and have your car released by your shipper. The terminal operator will also issue you a Terminal Delivery Order (TDO) to finalize things.

Step 11 – Final
Final Vehicle Movement and Final Verifications
Here is when your vehicle moves to the final gate and for final verifications. The customs Officer there would crosscheck every detail of the said car. When it’s certain that it tallies with your documents, you’ll be allowed out. You can park somewhere, call your lover and inform him/her of your new wheel’s arrival and run the Nigerian roads.

Cost of Clearing Imported Cars in Nigeria
I promised to guide you on the cost strategy of clearing imported cars in Nigeria. After knowing how to clear imported cars in Nigeria, do not fail also to know the cost.
If you were attentive to the guide above, you’d have seen that there were several offices that charges. The only thing is that I didn’t list the prices. The reason is because these cost differs by car. This is to say that your car model, type, production year and so on determines what you pay. This particularly applies when you’re dealing with customs because they’ll value your car and charge you by the value. This is what is called import duty valuation. This valuation bases on your car description, like I stated earlier. I will not provide you with an accurate cost but I’ll provide you with a titbit guide.
Also, the charges from customs is determined by Dollar rate. This means that the higher the rate of Dollars, the higher the cost to be incurred and vice versa. Let’s take a quick rundown on how import duty is ascertained by the Nigerian Customs. The percentage rate rallies around 0% to 35%. And in the case of your car, it’s a simple mathematics that will help you. All you do is multiply the cost of your car by the valuation rate and the current Dollar rate (Car Price X Valuation Rates X Dollar Rates).

Duration of Clearing Cars in Nigeria
The duration of clearing cars in Nigeria is determined by a number of factors. These could include validity of forms, number of clearance applicants etc. Another thing is laziness and frustration which could force you to delay. This is caused probably by your inability to verify documents and many others. In essence, it can take as long as you want to clear an imported car in Nigeria. But, the average time is just about two days to three days. As a newbie, it took me four days but later, I could run it in just three days successfully.

Author’s Note and Conclusion
There aren’t much difficulties associated with the entire process. However, there are certain vital documents you do require to avid delay. To get these documents, you may resort to rapport with a licensed agent or provide yours. And you know, obtaining those forms like the form C30 or Customs Authority Card might be tasking.
So, seeing how to clear imported cars in Nigeria in person, what do you think? If you can proceed to run the processes alone, fine but if you can’t, contact a clearing agent. At least, with this article, you’ve known how the processes go and can monitor your clearance agent better. This is how I cleared my imported car in Nigeria. Changes might come in along the process and you just have to be conscious on them.


https://carmart.ng/public/blog/2019/10/29/how-to-clear-imported-cars-in-nigeria-cost-and-duration/

Like seriously

This is a very very unwieldy process.

We just like to give ourselves problem in the country, all the wahala, going from one office to the other to sign this, get that.

Op, thanks for the insight.

Lol

Hi, I'm Mateen by name
I'm a licensed custom clearing agent.
If you ever need my help on any info related to clearing of cars.
You can contact me on my WhatsApp number:07052194225

@OP

Great info

Thanks.