Prohibited items for small parcels from China to Nigeria: 12 categories
What you cannot send by small-parcel air from China to Nigeria: weapons, controlled tools, flammables, gases, toxic substances and the other 12 categories, plus Nigeria's import restrictions.
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Small-parcel air from China to Nigeria does not accept 12 categories: firearms and ammunition, controlled tools, flammable and explosive goods, compressed and liquefied gases and their containers, toxic substances, illegal publications and propaganda, counterfeit and IP-infringing goods, endangered wildlife and its products, goods banned from entry or exit, poorly packed items, goods the destination country bans, and other prohibited items. Nigeria also restricts artworks, securities, auto parts, plants, seeds, tobacco, alcoholic drinks, meat products, drones and more.
Information updated: 2026-10-30
Scope
This list applies to small-parcel air from China to Nigeria. Full containers, shared containers and larger air cargo follow different rules: lithium batteries, cosmetics and liquids can go through those channels with the right documents. See our restricted goods list.
Small-parcel prohibited items fall into the 12 categories below. Nigeria's destination restrictions are listed at the end.
- Firearms and ammunition
- Controlled tools
- Flammable and explosive goods
- Compressed and liquefied gases and their containers
- Toxic substances
- Illegal publications, printed matter, audio-visual products and other propaganda
- Counterfeit, substandard and IP-infringing goods
- Endangered wildlife and its products
- Goods banned from entry or exit
- Poorly packed items that may endanger people or damage other parcels and equipment
- Goods the destination country (region) bans from import
- Other prohibited items
Firearms and ammunition
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Firearms (including replicas and main parts) | Pistols, rifles, submachine guns, riot guns, air guns, hunting guns, sport guns, tranquilliser guns, BB guns, tear-gas guns, scopes, handcuffs, gun accessories and the like. Gun- or weapon-shaped items (anything that shows up on X-ray as a gun, bullet or grenade, including toy guns and weapon-shaped keyrings) are confiscated on discovery. |
| Ammunition (including replicas) | Bullets, bombs, hand grenades, rockets, flares, incendiary rounds, smoke rounds, BB pellets, signal rounds, tear-gas rounds, poison-gas rounds, landmines, grenades, artillery shells, gunpowder and the like. Any grenade-shaped goods, including toys. |
Controlled tools
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Controlled knives | Daggers, triangular scrapers, locking switchblades, spring knives, butterfly knives, belt-buckle knives, sword canes, push daggers, kubotans, claw knives, daggers, bayonets, trench knives, boot knives, gravity knives and similar single-edged (axes), double-edged and three-edged blades; combat knives (daggers, bayonets, trench knives, boot knives, etc.) and military shovels. |
| Other | Crossbows, tear-gas sprays, tear-gas guns, stun guns, bows and arrows, batons, handcuffs, darts, saws, replica weapons, welding torches, spray guns, nunchucks, self-defence devices, harpoons, syringes and the like. |
Flammable and explosive goods
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Blasting materials | Explosives, detonators, fuses, detonating cord, blasting agents. |
| Fireworks | Fireworks, firecrackers, snappers, party poppers, cap bangers, coloured shells and other fireworks, plus black powder, pyrotechnic powder, cap paper, fuse wire and other powder products. |
| Other | Propellants, gun propellant, nitrocellulose, electric igniters and the like. |
| Flammable liquids | Petrol, diesel, kerosene, tung oil, acetone, ether, alcohol, paint, lacquer, benzene, oil, alcohol, rosin oil, massage oil, oils, paint and the like. |
| Flammable solids | Red phosphorus, sulphur, aluminium powder, glitter powder, solid alcohol, matches, incense, smoke cakes, candles, activated carbon, everlasting matches, coal and the like. |
| Spontaneously combustible substances | Yellow phosphorus, white phosphorus, nitrocellulose (including film), titanium powder and the like. |
| Substances that ignite on contact with water | Sodium metal, potassium, lithium, zinc powder, magnesium powder (rods), calcium carbide, sodium cyanide, potassium cyanide and the like. |
Compressed and liquefied gases and their containers
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Flammable gases | Hydrogen, methane, ethane, butane, natural gas, LPG, ethylene, propylene, acetylene, lighters and the like. Items containing gas (such as swimming armbands and compressed gas cans), weather balloons, gas-filled goods, small cylinders and inflated balls. Lighters, matches, igniters, everlasting matches, all ignition devices, e-cigarettes and accessories. |
| Toxic gases | Carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, chlorine and the like. |
| Explosive, asphyxiant or oxidising gases | Compressed gas cans, compressed oxygen, nitrogen, helium, neon, aerosols and the like. |
Toxic substances
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Oxidisers and peroxides | Permanganates, perchlorates, hydrogen oxide, sodium peroxide, potassium peroxide, lead peroxide, chlorates, bromates, nitrates, hydrogen peroxide and the like. |
| Toxic substances | Arsenic, arsenic trioxide, mercury compounds, thallium compounds, cyanides, selenium powder, phenol, mercury, highly toxic pesticides and the like. |
| Biological, infectious and contagious substances | Germs, anthrax, parasites, excrement, medical waste, human remains, animal organs (specimens), body parts, untanned hides, untreated animal bones and the like. |
| Radioactive substances | Uranium, cobalt, radium, plutonium and the like. |
| Corrosive substances | Sulphuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, lead-acid batteries, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and the like. |
| Drugs and drug paraphernalia, narcotic and psychotropic drugs for illegitimate use, drug precursor chemicals for illegitimate use | Drugs, narcotic and psychotropic drugs: opium (including poppy husks, flowers, buds and leaves), morphine, heroin, cocaine, cannabis, methamphetamine, ketamine, methcathinone, amphetamine, caffeine sodium benzoate; precursor chemicals: piperonal, safrole, sassafras oil, ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, hydroxylimine, o-chlorophenyl cyclopentyl ketone, phenylacetic acid, bromopropiophenone, acetic anhydride, toluene, acetone and the like; drug paraphernalia such as meth pipes. |
Illegal publications, printed matter, audio-visual products and other propaganda
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Illegal publications, printed matter, audio-visual products and other propaganda | Books, periodicals, pictures, photos and audio-visual products with subversive content, content inciting ethnic hatred, undermining national unity or social stability, promoting cults or religious extremism, obscene content and the like. |
| Espionage equipment | Concealed listening devices, covert cameras, burst transmitters, one-time pads, secret-writing tools, electronic surveillance and interception equipment for gathering intelligence and the like. |
| Illegally forged items | Forged or altered currency, identity documents, official seals, casino chips, dice, commemorative coins, replica banknotes and the like. |
Counterfeit, substandard and IP-infringing goods
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| IP infringement | Books, audio-visual products and the like that infringe patents, trademarks or copyright. |
| Counterfeit and substandard goods | Counterfeit or substandard food, medicines, children's products, electronics, cosmetics, textiles and the like. |
Endangered wildlife and its products
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Endangered wildlife and its products, animal specimens | Ivory, tiger bone, rhino horn and their products, animal specimens and the like. |
Goods banned from entry or exit
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Goods banned from entry or exit | Food, medicines or other drugs, feed, tea, mugwort, seeds, fishing bait, live animals, bones, plants and feathers that harm human or animal health, come from epidemic areas or can otherwise spread disease; documents, materials and other items involving state secrets. |
Poorly packed items
Poorly packed items that may endanger people, contaminate or damage other parcels and equipment, such as water beads that swell in water.
Nigeria destination restrictions
Goods the destination country (region) bans from import cannot be sent either. For small parcels to Nigeria, the following items are restricted:
- Artworks
- Securities
- Weapons
- Ammunition
- Knives
- Auto parts
- Plants
- Seeds
- Tobacco
- Alcoholic drinks
- Meat products
- Ivory products
- Indecent items
- Religious and political propaganda
- Privacy-related devices (voice recorders, GPS trackers, drones, etc.)
Not sure about an item? Send the exact product name to your account manager for a free compliance check before shipping.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send toy guns or weapon-shaped keyrings?
No. Anything that shows up on X-ray as a gun, bullet or grenade, including toy guns and weapon-shaped keyrings, is confiscated on discovery.
Can lighters and e-cigarettes go by small parcel?
No. Lighters, matches, igniters, e-cigarettes and their accessories count as flammable gases under compressed and liquefied gases, and are prohibited.
If an item is not on the list, can I always send it?
Not always. The twelfth category, other prohibited items, is not itemised, and the destination country may add its own restrictions. Send the exact product name to your account manager to check before shipping.