How shipping from China to Africa works
Read the full article: How shipping from China to Africa works
China-Africa Shipping Resources
Resources by situation
Buying from China for the first time
Looking for Chinese suppliers
Getting ready to ship and sorting documents
Goods arriving soon and need clearing
Working out the total cost
Products that need certification
Useful trade websites
Chinese sourcing platforms and fairs
Alibaba.comalibaba.comB2B sourcing platform for overseas buyers, with suppliers in most categories.English (opens in a new tab)
Made-in-China.commade-in-china.comB2B trade platform strongest in industrial goods and machinery.English (opens in a new tab)
Global Sourcesglobalsources.comB2B sourcing platform that also runs sourcing fairs in Hong Kong and elsewhere.English (opens in a new tab)
China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair)cantonfair.org.cnHeld in Guangzhou every spring and autumn, with an exhibitor directory and buyer pre-registration.Chinese / English (opens in a new tab)
16881688.comChina's domestic wholesale platform, useful for comparing factory and wholesale sources.Chinese (opens in a new tab)
Yiwugoyiwugo.comOnline platform of Yiwu International Trade City, for finding small commodities by shop and category.Chinese (opens in a new tab)
DHgatedhgate.comCross-border platform for small-quantity wholesale, suited to small trial orders.English (opens in a new tab)
African government bodies
Nigeria Customs Servicecustoms.gov.ngNigeria Customs: tariff, import prohibition list and customs announcements.Nigeria (opens in a new tab)
Central Bank of Nigeriacbn.gov.ngNigeria's central bank: FX policy, Form M and import payment rules.Nigeria (opens in a new tab)
Nigerian Ports Authoritynigerianports.gov.ngNigerian Ports Authority: notices for each Lagos port and port operations information.Nigeria (opens in a new tab)
Standards Organisation of Nigeriason.gov.ngStandards Organisation of Nigeria: SONCAP rules and product standards.Nigeria (opens in a new tab)
NAFDACnafdac.gov.ngNigeria's food and drug regulator: registration and import permits for food, drugs and cosmetics.Nigeria (opens in a new tab)
Kenya Revenue Authoritykra.go.keKenya Revenue Authority: customs tariff and import declaration rules.Kenya (opens in a new tab)
Kenya Bureau of Standardskebs.orgKenya Bureau of Standards: PVoC pre-shipment inspection and product standards.Kenya (opens in a new tab)
Ghana Revenue Authoritygra.gov.ghGhana Revenue Authority: customs duties and import procedures.Ghana (opens in a new tab)- Tanzania Revenue Authoritytra.go.tzTanzania Revenue Authority: customs tariff and import declarations.Tanzania (opens in a new tab)
Administration des Douanesdouane.gov.maMoroccan Customs: tariff lookup and the BADR declaration system.Morocco (opens in a new tab)
South African Revenue Servicesars.gov.zaSouth African Revenue Service: customs tariff and importer registration.South Africa (opens in a new tab)
Inspection and certification bodies
SGSsgs.comInspection and certification body handling pre-shipment inspection and conformity assessment for many countries.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
Intertekintertek.comInspection and certification body offering inspection, testing and government certification programmes.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
Bureau Veritasbureauveritas.comInspection and certification body offering inspection and importing-country certificates of conformity.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
Visiting China and trade finance
Chinese Visa Application Service Centervisaforchina.cnOnline appointments and document requirements for Chinese visas; check before visiting factories or trade fairs.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
Afreximbankafreximbank.comAfrican trade finance, letter of credit confirmation and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS).English (opens in a new tab)
Chinese government bodies
General Administration of Customs of Chinacustoms.gov.cnImport and export policy announcements, classification rulings and customs statistics.Chinese (opens in a new tab)
China International Trade Single Windowsinglewindow.cnOne online portal for customs declarations, certificates of origin, export tax rebates and more.Chinese (opens in a new tab)
Ministry of Commerce of Chinamofcom.gov.cnForeign trade policy, trade remedy investigations and trade news by country.Chinese (opens in a new tab)- Going Global Public Service Platformfec.mofcom.gov.cnCountry and regional guides to outbound investment published by the Ministry of Commerce, covering every African country.Chinese (opens in a new tab)
- State Taxation Administration of Chinachinatax.gov.cnExport tax refund and exemption policy documents and filing guidance.Chinese (opens in a new tab)
China Council for the Promotion of International Tradeccpit.orgCertificates of origin, commercial document certification and overseas trade fair information.Chinese (opens in a new tab)
State Administration of Foreign Exchangesafe.gov.cnPolicy and statistics on FX receipts and payments in goods trade.Chinese (opens in a new tab)- China Export & Credit Insurance Corporation (Sinosure)sinosure.com.cnExport credit insurance and credit checks on overseas buyers.Chinese (opens in a new tab)
International organisations and trade data
World Customs Organization (WCO)wcoomd.orgThe body behind the HS Harmonized System; look up code structure and classification notes.English (opens in a new tab)
World Trade Organization (WTO)wto.orgMembers' tariff commitments, trade policy reviews and trade statistics.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
Market Access Mapmacmap.orgFrom the International Trade Centre: applied tariffs and non-tariff measures by HS code and country.English (opens in a new tab)
Trade Maptrademap.orgFrom the International Trade Centre: import and export flows and volumes by product and country.English (opens in a new tab)
UN Comtradecomtradeplus.un.orgThe UN commodity trade statistics database, with downloadable import and export detail by country.English (opens in a new tab)
AfCFTA Secretariatau-afcfta.orgAfCFTA rules of origin, tariff concessions and implementation progress.English (opens in a new tab)- Forum on China-Africa Cooperationfocac.orgChina-Africa cooperation policy documents, ministerial conference outcomes and trade news.Chinese (opens in a new tab)
World Bank Open Datadata.worldbank.orgWorld Bank macroeconomic, population and trade indicators by country.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
Trade tools
XE Currencyxe.comLive currency conversion, including the naira, shilling, cedi and other African currencies.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
Bank of China exchange ratesboc.cnDaily FX buying and selling rates published by Bank of China.Chinese (opens in a new tab)
DeepL Translatordeepl.comMachine translation for emails and first drafts of contracts.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
Incoterms® rulesiccwbo.orgThe ICC's official explanation of trade terms; FOB, CIF and DDP are defined here.English (opens in a new tab)
MarineTrafficmarinetraffic.comLive vessel positions and port berthing activity.English (opens in a new tab)
SeaRatessearates.comPort-to-port distances, port information and container specifications.English (opens in a new tab)
timeanddatetimeanddate.comTime differences and public holidays by country, so clearance can avoid destination holidays.English (opens in a new tab)
IATA Dangerous Goods Regulationsiata.orgIATA's Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR), the reference for shipping lithium batteries by air.English (opens in a new tab)
Shipping lines
Maerskmaersk.comSchedules, container tracking and route announcements.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
MSCmsc.comSchedules, container tracking and Africa route information.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
CMA CGMcma-cgm.comSchedules, container tracking and surcharge announcements.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
COSCO Shipping Lineslines.coscoshipping.comSchedules, cargo tracking and route services.Chinese / English (opens in a new tab)
Hapag-Lloydhapag-lloyd.comSchedules, container tracking and charges explained.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
Forums and news
FOB Shanghai trade forumbbs.fobshanghai.comLong-running foreign trade forum with plenty of discussion on documents, forwarding and payment collection.Chinese (opens in a new tab)
iMikerimiker.comTraining and learning community for foreign trade sales.Chinese (opens in a new tab)
52by52by.comForeign trade news, market analysis and practical articles.Chinese (opens in a new tab)
Sales platforms
Jumia Vendor Centervendorcenter.jumia.comSeller onboarding and store back office for the African e-commerce platform Jumia, covering Nigeria, Kenya, Morocco and more.Africa (opens in a new tab)
Kilimallkilimall.co.keEast African e-commerce platform centred on Kenya, open to sellers from China.Kenya (opens in a new tab)
Takealot Seller Portalseller.takealot.comThird-party seller sign-up for the South African e-commerce platform Takealot.South Africa (opens in a new tab)
Amazon Global Sellingsell.amazon.comHow to sell on Amazon, including the South Africa and Egypt stores.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
AliExpress Sellerssell.aliexpress.comAliExpress seller onboarding and recruitment policy.Chinese / English (opens in a new tab)
TikTok Shop Cross-Borderseller.tiktokglobalshop.comCross-border seller onboarding and back office for TikTok Shop.Chinese / English (opens in a new tab)
Shopifyshopify.comPlatform for building your own branded online store with local payment options.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
Payments and collection
Paystackpaystack.comOnline payment gateway widely used in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and elsewhere.Africa (opens in a new tab)
Flutterwaveflutterwave.comPayment and cross-border collection services across many African countries.Africa (opens in a new tab)
Payoneerpayoneer.comMarketplace payouts and multi-currency receiving accounts.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
PingPongpingpongx.comPayment collection for cross-border e-commerce and foreign trade.Chinese / English (opens in a new tab)
LianLian Globallianlianglobal.comMarketplace payment collection, FX conversion and payouts.Chinese / English (opens in a new tab)
PayPalpaypal.comInternational online payments, common for own-brand stores and small orders.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
Product research and marketing
DataReportaldatareportal.comAnnual reports on internet, social media and mobile use by country.English (opens in a new tab)
Google Trendstrends.google.comSearch interest by keyword and country, to help gauge product demand.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
Meta Business Suitefacebook.comAdvertising and shop management for Facebook and Instagram.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
WhatsApp Businessbusiness.whatsapp.comThe messaging tool African customers use most, with product catalogues and auto-replies.Multilingual (opens in a new tab)
Cifnewscifnews.comCross-border e-commerce and foreign trade news, with explainers on platform policy.Chinese (opens in a new tab)
All resources
Shipping basics
7 articles- How shipping from China to Africa worksWhat a shipment goes through between a Chinese factory and the consignee in Africa, who handles each step and where it most often gets stuck, explained in one process table.3 min
- Sea or air: which should you choose?What kind of cargo suits full-container FCL, shared-container LCL and air freight? A way to decide based on volume, value, transit time and product type.2 min
- Container types and capacity: how much a 20GP, 40GP and 40HQ really holdInside dimensions, theoretical capacity and realistic loadable volume of common shipping containers, plus advice on choosing a container by cargo type.2 min
- How weight and volume affect shipping costsIs sea freight charged by cubic metre or by tonne? How is air volumetric weight calculated? Formulas and examples for working out chargeable weight.2 min
- Duties-included shipping explainedDouble clearance with duties included is the most common service on Africa routes. What it includes, how it differs from the trade term DDP, and the terms to confirm when signing.2 min
- Africa's main import ports: Lagos, Tema, Mombasa and Dar es SalaamWhich ports Chinese goods mainly use to enter Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania, what each port is like, and what to watch for in clearance.2 min
- Choosing a trade term: what EXW, FOB, CIF and DDP mean for both sides of China–Africa tradeThe most common Incoterms® 2020 terms, where responsibility, cost and risk transfer, and how Chinese sellers and African buyers should each choose.2 min
Avoiding pitfalls
8 articles- 8 pain points in China–Africa logistics, and how to handle each oneUnreliable transit times, opaque pricing, stuck clearance, lost cargo, hard communication: the 8 most common pain points in China–Africa logistics and practical ways to deal with them.2 min
- Port and container charges explainedWhat demurrage, detention and port storage charges are, how they are calculated, who pays them, and how to stop daily charges from piling up.2 min
- Hidden fees in freight quotes: 12 common surcharges and a checklist of questionsWhy do you end up paying more than the quote? The common surcharges, destination port charges and easily missed terms in China–Africa sea and air freight.2 min
- How to choose a reliable Africa forwarder: 10 questions to askFrom credentials and in-country clearance capability to quote transparency and exception handling: a question list and criteria for screening China–Africa forwarders.2 min
- Preventing and claiming for cargo damage and shortages: packing, loading and cargo insuranceAfrica routes mean long distances, multiple transshipments and difficult last-mile roads. The main causes of breakage and missing pieces, and how to handle packing, photo evidence and cargo insurance.2 min
- Lagos port congestion: how it affects your shipments and 5 ways to copeWhy Lagos's Apapa and Tin Can ports are chronically congested, how the 2025 clearance system changeover affected shipments, and what shippers and consignees can do to prepare.2 min
- Goods stuck at Lagos port: common causes and what to doWhy cargo gets stuck at Apapa, Tin Can or Lekki port, how demurrage builds up, and the steps importers and shippers can take now.2 min
- How to choose a China to Nigeria cargo agent: 8 questions to askEight questions on pricing, clearance, warehouses, tracking and payment to ask before choosing a China to Nigeria cargo agent, plus the most common traps.2 min
Sourcing in China
10 articles- The complete process for sourcing in China: 8 steps from finding products and sampling to shippingA China sourcing guide for African importers and Chinese traders in Africa: define requirements, find suppliers, verify them, sample, negotiate, order, inspect and arrange logistics.2 min
- Choosing a sourcing channel: 1688, Alibaba.com, Yiwu, Guangzhou, trade fairs and factory-directA comparison of China's main sourcing channels by minimum order, price, suitable categories and risks, to help you pick the right channel for your buying volume.2 min
- How to verify a Chinese supplier: 6 steps to judge whether a factory is real and reliableVerify a Chinese supplier through the business licence, unified social credit code, business scope, receiving account, and an on-site or video factory audit.2 min
- Pre-shipment inspection: when to inspect, what to check and howWhen to use pre-production, during-production and pre-shipment inspection, an inspection checklist and AQL sampling, and how to arrange a third-party inspection.2 min
- 7 common sourcing scams in China and how to prevent themFake factories, swapped goods, payment to personal accounts, samples that don't match bulk, phishing emails changing bank details: the most common sourcing scams and how to guard against each.2 min
- Canton Fair sourcing guide: schedule, exhibition zones and on-site tipsThe China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) runs a spring and an autumn session each year, each in three phases. Here are the main zones per phase, visa and registration preparation, and on-site buying tips.2 min
- Practical tips for the Yiwu and Guangzhou wholesale markets: browsing, negotiating and consolidatingCategory layout of Yiwu International Trade City and Guangzhou's main wholesale markets, the sample-to-order process, deposit and delivery habits, and how to consolidate goods from several vendors into one container.2 min
- Shipping goods from several suppliers together: consolidation warehouse, shipping marks and paperworkWhen buying from several factories or vendors, how to gather the goods in one warehouse, check them in, unify the paperwork and ship them as one consolidated load.2 min
- Choosing a payment method: T/T, letter of credit, platform escrow and RMB settlementHow the common payment methods in China-Africa trade work, what they cost and what risks they carry, and how foreign-exchange policy in Nigeria and other countries affects payment.2 min
- How to ship 1688 and Alibaba orders to Nigeria: sourcing, RMB payment and consolidationHow to collect goods from several 1688, Alibaba, Yiwu or Guangzhou sellers at one China warehouse and ship them to Lagos by sea or air, plus how sourcing and RMB payment work.2 min
Customs practice
8 articles- How to find and classify an HS code: one code decides the duty rate, certification and whether goods can be importedThe structure of HS codes, how Chinese and African tariff codes correspond, the basic classification method, and the consequences of misclassification.2 min
- Setting the declared value: customs valuation rules and the real risk of under-declaringCustoms values goods on the transaction price, and many African countries check against reference prices. How valuation works, what happens when under-declaration is found, and how to prepare price evidence.2 min
- What to do when customs inspects your goods: inspection in China at export and in Africa at importWhy customs selects shipments for inspection, the types of inspection, what to prepare, and how to lower the chance of inspection and the delays afterwards.2 min
- The 6 biggest pain points in African customs clearance, and how to solve themMissing documents, missing certification, valuation disputes, system outages, changing policy and inspection queues: the causes of each and how to deal with them.2 min
- Chinese export declaration basics: documents needed, declaration elements and choosing the trade modeThe basic documents for a Chinese export declaration, how to fill in the declaration elements, and the differences between general trade, market procurement (1039) and cross-border e-commerce modes.2 min
- Declaring mixed multi-category cargo: list description, quantity and value item by itemFor consolidated or mixed small-commodity exports: how to prepare the declaration list, handle sensitive goods, and the common declaration errors.2 min
- Shipping lithium batteries and battery-powered products: UN38.3, MSDS, classification report and packagingRequired documents, packaging and labelling, and common issues for exporting lithium batteries and products with built-in batteries by sea and air, plus choosing a transport mode to Africa.2 min
- 10 practical tips for faster customs clearanceFrom document preparation, writing descriptions and early declaration to working with your clearing party: 10 ways to make clearance faster and less error-prone.2 min
Country policies
10 articles- The full Nigeria import clearance process: from Form M to container releaseThe complete steps of Nigerian import clearance: tax ID registration, SONCAP certification, Form M, PAAR, declaration and duty payment, inspection and release, plus what to watch for under the B'Odogwu system.2 min
- Nigeria's Form M and PAAR explained: what they are, who handles them and whenForm M and PAAR are the two key documents for importing into Nigeria. Who handles them, what documents are needed, the order of steps and common mistakes.2 min
- How Nigerian import duty is calculated: rate bands, levies and a worked exampleNigeria applies the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET). The rate bands, levies and VAT base, with a full worked example.2 min
- Reading Nigeria's import prohibition list: trade bans and absolute bansThe two types of Nigeria's customs import prohibition list, typical goods listed over the years, how to look it up, and how to check before shipping.2 min
- SONCAP certification explained: PC vs SC, the process and common issuesThe two certificates of Nigeria's SONCAP conformity assessment programme, who applies, what's needed and the timing, plus the new requirement from 2026 to activate them on the National Single Window.2 min
- NAFDAC registration guide: what food, cosmetics and drugs need to enter NigeriaThe scope of NAFDAC product registration in Nigeria, who applies, the online process, the new timelines from 2025 and import permits.2 min
- Ghana import clearance guide: the ICUMS system, duties and taxes, and FDA and GSA requirementsGhana import clearance goes through ICUMS. Required documents, duties and levies, the changes under the new 2026 VAT law, and FDA and GSA inspection requirements.2 min
- Kenya import clearance guide: IDF, PVoC certification and duty calculationImporting into Kenya needs an Import Declaration Form (IDF) and a KEBS PVoC Certificate of Conformity, with clearance through the KenTrade single window and duty under the EAC Common External Tariff.2 min
- Tanzania import clearance guide: TBS PVoC, TANCIS and the chargesFrom November 2025 Tanzania requires pre-shipment inspection for regulated goods. How to get the CoC, clearance through TANCIS, and what makes up the charges.2 min
- Importing vehicles from China to Nigeria: shipping options, clearance and FAQsShipping cars, trucks and construction vehicles from China to Nigeria: choosing RoRo, breakbulk or containers, what clearance needs, and what to know about vehicle age and land borders.2 min
Shipping documents
4 articles- Writing a commercial invoice and packing list: required fields, template points and common errorsThe commercial invoice and packing list are the foundation of clearance. The required fields, examples of how to fill them in, and the common errors that delay clearance.2 min
- Bill of lading types explained: original B/L, telex release, sea waybill and house B/LThe differences between original bills of lading, telex release, sea waybills, master and house bills of lading, when to use each and the release risks.2 min
- Getting a certificate of origin: non-preferential vs preferential certificates and when you need oneThe types of certificate of origin, who issues them, the process, and when a certificate of origin is needed for exports to Africa.2 min
- Writing shipping marks: the key to not losing cartons in a consolidated shipmentWhat shipping marks do, the standard format, how to unify marks across several suppliers, and the sorting errors and delays caused by missing marks.2 min
Industry reports
4 articles- China-Africa trade data for 2025: the logistics opportunity behind USD 348 billionAccording to China's General Administration of Customs, China-Africa trade reached USD 348.05 billion in 2025, up 17.7%. What the import and export structure means for logistics.2 min
- China-Nigeria trade in 2025: exports to Nigeria hit a record USD 24.9 billionIn 2025 China's exports to Nigeria were about USD 24.9 billion, a record high, with imports from Nigeria of about USD 3.2 billion. The trade structure and the effects of FX and ports.2 min
- China's zero-tariff policy for Africa: coverage, timeline and effect on tradeFrom December 2024 China applies zero tariffs on 100% of tariff lines for 33 least developed African countries, extended from May 2026 to all 53 African countries with diplomatic ties.2 min
- What is the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)? The effect on Chinese exporters and African importersThe basics of AfCFTA, its rules of origin, and its effect on importing goods from China, assembly in Africa and regional distribution.2 min
Checklists
3 checklists- Customs clearance document checklistWhich documents export declaration and destination clearance each need, with the purpose, issuer and common mistakes for each.
- Prohibited and restricted goods listSeparates three cases: not carried at all, carried with the right documents, and destination-specific restrictions.
- Sea and air transit time tableReference transit times from China's main ports to each port of entry in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Tanzania, broken down by stage.
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- Lagos warehouse 1
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- Lagos warehouse 2
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