Shipping cars to Nigeria is a process that demands experience and knowledge of the shipping industry. In this guide, we’ll explain the complete process of shipping cars to Nigeria along with giving you some tips on saving money in the process.
An overview of shipping cars to Nigeria
At least 73% of the cars in Nigeria are imported from other countries. It is no secret that the Nigerian economy is not doing so well and the people cannot afford to buy new cars. So, most people opt to import a used car from the US. The Nigerian government is well aware of this massive influx of vehicles into Nigeria and its repercussions on the country’s economy. As a result, the government has always looked to increase taxes on these car imports.
This is why shipping cars to Nigeria has always been a troublesome and expensive process. Moreover, the import policies of Nigeria keep on changing every year. For instance, you cannot ship a vehicle older than 15 years to Nigeria. Moreover, the car should be left-hand drive as you cannot drive right-hand cars in Nigeria. You also have to provide a chassis and engine number to the Nigerian authorities before they issue a number plate for your vehicle.
These complex shipping rules and high taxes make shipping cars to Nigeria a troublesome experience. If you are not familiar with the rules, you can expect to pay even higher costs of shipping. Therefore, it is ideal to use some help and let an experienced shipping company do the job for you.
What is the best way for shipping cars to Nigeria in 2022?
When you decide to ship a car to Nigeria, you get two options. You can either go for RoRo shipping which is an economical option for shipping a car overseas. Or, you can choose container shipping which costs more but adds an extra layer of security for shipping your car overseas. We have explained both of these methods in detail below.
RoRo shipping
RoRo (roll-on roll-off) shipping is by far the best method for shipping cars to Nigeria from the US. In RoRo shipping, hundreds of vehicles are driven onto a large ship. These vehicles are then parked in their places on the shipping vessel. Moreover, these cars are tied strongly to the deck of the vessel so that they receive no damage during the transit.
For shipping cars to Nigeria with RoRo ships, your car should be operable so that the driver of the shipping company can drive your vehicle onto the ship. Roro shipping is a very reliable method for shipping cars to Nigeria as the shipments are rarely late. This is because shipping vessels have a strict schedule just like that of an airline. So, the departure and arrival dates of RoRo ships only vary due to unforeseen circumstances which are not in control of any shipping company. Otherwise, you can expect to receive your car in Nigeria within the stipulated time.
RoRo shipping is also the cheapest way for shipping cars to Nigeria in 2022. In RoRo ships, hundreds of vehicles are transported to Nigeria in one go. As a result, the shipping cost per vehicle is reduced to a great extent. Additionally, you can ship oversized vehicles in RoRo ships as well. However, make sure that you do not leave any expensive luggage in the car while it is on the RoRo ship. If you are not shipping a vintage car, RoRo shipping is your best choice for shipping cars to Nigeria.
Container shipping
No doubt RoRo shipping is a great way to ship your everyday use cars overseas. However, some people prefer to have an additional layer of security for shipping their vintage or sports cars. This is where container shipping comes in. Container shipping allows you the luxury of shipping cars to Nigeria without exposing them to the atmosphere. Your car is loaded onto a shipping container which is then sealed and opened only once it reaches the destination port. There are further two types of container shipping which are discussed below.
LCL or shared container shipping
The first option in container shipping is the LCL (less than container load) or shared container shipping where you share container space with our customers. The shipping company ships 3-4 cars in a single container. Therefore, you only pay for the space your vehicle occupies in the container. As a result shipping cost per vehicle is lower as compared to the other container shipping method.
Another benefit of using LCL container shipping is that you can keep some luggage in your car as well. Since the cars are enclosed in a sealed container, your belongings are safe during transit. However, you should make a list of items you leave in your car for verification purposes later.
However, you can face one issue while shipping cars to Nigeria with this container shipping method. The shipping company ships a container only when it is fully loaded with the requisite number of cars. So, your car shipment can reach a week late to Nigeria if there is an insufficient number of vehicles in the container on the booking day. To avert this issue, you can choose FCL container shipping.
FCL or private container shipping
FCL (full container load) or private container shipping gives you the luxury of shipping cars in a container along with a lot of luggage. In FCL container shipping, you pay for the entire space in a container. You can choose to fill the container space with 3-4 vehicles or you can keep some luggage to utilize the extra space. Since you are consuming all the space in the container, you have to pay a higher cost for shipping as compared to the LCL container shipping method. This method is suitable in some cases where you are shipping vintage cars to Nigeria. Otherwise, you should go for RoRo or LCL shipping methods.
Things to keep in mind before shipping cars to Nigeria in 2022
As already mentioned, shipping cars to Nigeria in 2022 is no piece of cake. It requires years of experience and the right information for anyone to go through this process comfortably. While shipping cars to Nigeria in 2022, you should be aware of the entire process and required documentation so that your shipment goes through smoothly.
Import Laws
Before you take the decision of shipping cars to Nigeria, it is compulsory to understand the import laws of the country. As already mentioned, the import laws of Nigeria keep on changing depending upon the policies of the current government. Therefore, it is ideal to familiarize yourself with the current import laws of the country. In 2022, the import laws do not allow you to import vehicles older than fifteen years into the country. Moreover, the Nigerian government has banned the import of vehicles from certain countries. The government does not allow the import of right and drive vehicles as you cannot drive right-hand vehicles in the country.
Documentation requirements
There are certain documents you need to produce before they allow your car into Nigeria. The Nigerian customs will ask for a Nigerian driving license, insurance documents, original invoice, shipping bill, Nigerian ID, and address before allowing a vehicle into Nigeria. Make sure you have these documents ready when shipping cars to Nigeria.
Currency exchange rates
Another thing you should be cautious about before shipping cars to Nigeria is the currency exchange rates at the time of shipment. When you decide to ship a car to Nigeria, make sure that you consider the current exchange rates into the shipping costs as well. Otherwise, you might end up paying extra for your car shipments.
How can you save costs on shipping cars to Nigeria?
Now that we have discussed how expensive shipping cars to Nigeria can be, let’s talk about ways to save money on your shipments.
Choose RoRo for shipping cars to Nigeria
The first and obvious way to save cost on shipping cars to Nigeria is to use RoRo ships instead of container shipping. Shipping cars to Nigeria with RoRo ships is economical as hundreds of vehicles are shipped simultaneously in a single vessel. On the other hand, you have to pay higher charges for container shipping since a maximum of 4 vehicles can fit into a container.
Work with an NVOCC for shipping cars to Nigeria
NVOCC (Non-Vessel Owning Common Carrier) is a shipping company that does not own shipping vessels. Instead, it books your shipment with the most economical vessel. NVOCC service providers usually book large spaces on shipping vessels. Therefore, they can offer you car shipping services to Nigeria at cheap rates.
Which companies should you choose for shipping cars to Nigeria?
Although there are many companies offering car shipping services to Nigeria, we recommend that you work only with those companies which possess the requisite experience and knowledge for overseas car shipping. AES and AFL, for instance, are two such companies that offer car shipping services to Nigeria at affordable rates. Below are some of the benefits you get by using the end-to-end services of these companies.
Door to port shipping services
One of the benefits you get by working with these shipping companies is their door to port shipping services. As a result, you don’t have to find additional carriers that offer bulk shipping services from your home to the port. Moreover, these companies offer insured transportation from your door to port. So, you can save valuable time and money by working with these companies for shipping cars to Nigeria. According to our estimate, it is a potential saving of $400 per shipment on average.
Excellent services at the port
When you work with these companies, you can save yourself from multiple challenges you have to face at the port otherwise. You can save yourself from handling the customs formalities, dealing with the freight forwarding services, finding holding facilities or warehouses, and noting the actual departure time of the vessels. As per our estimate, this is a potential saving of $200 per shipment.
Services in destination countries
AES and AFL are two such companies that have connections with hundreds of local carriers worldwide. Due to this wide network in the shipping industry, these companies can offer you hassle-free deliveries in destination countries. So, you can save yourself from the trouble of finding a local carrier that delivers your shipment on time. Again, this is a potential saving of $100.
Documentation services
These car shipping companies have combined experience of more than 120 years in the shipping industry. Their dedicated team of professionals will handle all of the documentation throughout the shipping process. During the process of shipping cars to Nigeria, the authorities check several documents. If you don’t have the required documents, your car shipments can get delayed.
Final Thoughts
We hope we have explained the process of car shipping to Nigeria thoroughly in this guide. Shipping cars to Nigeria is a process that involves many complexities and only experienced companies can handle the process in a hassle-free way.