As is the practice internationally, for every single shipment to Nigeria as the destination, there are a number of must-take handling and cargo clearance steps to bring the process to completion. Each of those steps has to be clearly understood by the supplier or seller of the goods, the importer or the buyer, especially as there are cost implications embedded in all stages. This article will focus on the cargo handling and clearance steps from the seller’s position or location to the point of exit at the departure port in the supply country. Notice that I have consistently tried to avoid using the terms country of origin and country of supply interchangeably in my articles. The reason is because goods are not always supplied from origin. In my next article I shall deal with the rest of the handling stages till deliverance at the buyer’s position or location of interest.

EXPORT HANDLING/CLEARANCE
1. Finding A Freight Forwarder:to be arranged for you by the supplier unless you have local presence in the country of supply.

2. Movement of Goods from Supplier’s Location to Freight Forwarder: this movement which is mostly on land is often done with trucks or by train and can be for hours. Who pays for this cargo transfer to the forwards warehouse depends on what has been agreed. If the consignee or importer is to pay for this haulage, the using international Commercial (Inco) terms, we say the agreement is ex works (direct from point of manufacture or factory) or free carrier (named place or FCA). Most often than not, freight forwarder arranges on behalf of the buyer for this export haulage, unless otherwise the buyer has a local presence in the country of supplier and can arrange trucking by himself. Sometimes, the haulage is simply from the supplier’s warehouse to the port of loading directly. As part of its services, Vagmon Integrated Services negotiates for best freight forwarders and export haulage from a wide range of countries.

3. Customs Clearance at The Country of Supply: this is called export customs clearance, and is often done by a Customs licensed Clearance vendor or broker. What is best is for the shipper or consignor to arrange with the freight forwarder or the clearance vendor, unless the consignee has a local presence in the supply country, and then the agreement can be otherwise. Essentially, the financial implications that need be defined here are in the form of the following:
i. Customs examination, Inspection and associated fees , for example movement of the container or freight to the inspection bay
ii. Customs duties and taxes if applicable
iii. Quarantine inspection
iv. Fees for treatments as ordered by Government Quarantine Inspection Service
v. Payment of any Customs duties, taxes, storage, demurrage, detention or insurance fees
Hence your agreement with the seller should be detailed to include all of the above.
4. Export documentation:
i. For commercial shipments what are usually required are copies of the supplier’s invoice and packing list. These can either be faxed or post copies.
ii. The importer and shipper will also supply the clearance vendor or freight forwarder (depending on who is agreed to run this process) with the VAT registration number (TIN number mostly in use in Nigeria).
iii. Marine cargo insurance; this is optional, and may be arranged and paid for.
iv. The responsible Customs agent or freight forwarder can also arrange consular documents, certified invoices and certificates of origin etc., and charges for such paperwork will be quoted separately.

5. Further cargo handling at the supply country: the freight forwarder or an agent of his continues with range of other activities normally referred to as cargo handling. This activity begins with receipt and unloading of cargo from truck, counting, staging, validation against booking, issuance of the forwarder’s receipt, etc. Again, the freight forwarder would have to stack the cargo and all other shipment going on the same container before moving it to the shipping line container, and to the vessel at the port. Agreement should reveal who pays what at all stages to avoid some pleasant surprises.

6. Sipping: the freight forwarder may also be in the business of shipping proper, and has a shipping line or vessel. Otherwise he contracts a liner (a company that owns or hires vessel to move cargos), who does the actual vessel movement. A house bill of lading is issued by the freight forwarder, and states the vessel and voyage number. It does not matter if the cargo will be trans-loaded from one vessel to another along its route. The freight cost is paid by the consignee depending on the importation agreement.
With this article, we have discussed cargo handling and clearance steps from the country of supply to the exit at the departure port. We have seen that every commercial shipment to Nigeria undergoes; export haulage, documentation, export cargo clearance, supply handling and freight forwarding, with cost implications at each stage. The importer and exporter are wise to take a holistic look at the process cost and draw a workable agreement, including who pays what.

http://www.clearingandforwardingnigeria.com/shipping-to-nigeria/