Prohibited and restricted goods list for international freight (China to Africa)

Most goods are not a case of “cannot ship” but of “must be declared the right way”. The list has three parts: not carried, carried with documents, and destination country restrictions.

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International shipping and customs documents laid out for a compliance check

Which goods cannot be shipped internationally at all?

Six categories prohibited by law are not carried through any channel.

Weapons and ammunition; drugs and precursor chemicals.
Products made from endangered wildlife and plants.
Cultural relics and cash; radioactive and highly toxic substances.
Beyond these, the vast majority of goods can be carried, including products with batteries, cosmetics, food, liquids and powders.
Provided the matching compliance documents are supplied and the goods are declared under their real description.

Information updated: August 2026

Category 1

Goods we do not carry at all

These goods are prohibited by law or explicitly refused by carriers. We do not accept enquiries for them, and there is no such thing as a special channel.

Category	Common examples	Reason
Weapons, ammunition and military goods	Firearms, ammunition, military equipment and their parts, replica guns	Strictly controlled under Chinese and destination country law; not carried through any channel.
Drugs and precursor chemicals	All narcotics and state-controlled precursor chemicals	Criminally controlled items; not carried.
Endangered wildlife and plants and their products	Ivory, rhino horn, pangolin products, protected timber	Violates the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES); not carried.
Cultural relics, precious metals and cash	Cultural relics barred from export, cash, securities, gold and silver bars	Prohibited or specially controlled exports; ordinary international freight channels do not carry them.
Radioactive and highly toxic substances	Radioactive isotopes, highly toxic chemicals, substances with an excessively high explosive or flammable hazard class	Beyond the safe carrying scope of ordinary container and air freight.

Category 2

Carried when compliance documents are in place

This is the situation foreign trade customers meet most often. These goods can be exported; the key is preparing documents in advance, declaring the real description and using the matching channel.

Type of goods	Required documents	How it works
Products with batteries (including lithium)	UN38.3 test report + MSDS + battery air/sea transport appraisal report	Batteries shipped alone, installed in equipment and packed with equipment have different requirements. By sea they go as dangerous goods or in special containers; by air they must comply with IATA lithium battery rules and be declared in advance.
Cosmetics and personal care products	Destination country registration + ingredient list + MSDS (products containing alcohol need an extra declaration)	Nigeria requires NAFDAC registration, which takes a long time; we recommend starting it while the order is in production.
Food, beverages and food additives	Destination country food registration + health certificate + ingredient and shelf-life statement	Nigeria requires NAFDAC registration. Batches with less remaining shelf life than required may be refused at clearance, so check in advance.
Medicines, medical devices and consumables	Registration with the destination country's drug regulator + product qualifications + import permit	A highly controlled category that must be assessed case by case; it cannot be quoted as ordinary cargo.
Liquids, pastes and powders	MSDS + non-dangerous goods appraisal or dangerous goods declaration	The composition and hazard class must be clear. Declaring liquids or powders as general cargo is a frequent cause of inspection and confiscation.
Magnetic goods	Magnetic inspection report (required for air freight)	Speakers, motors and some hardware often contain magnets; if not declared, they are returned at security screening.
Controlled items	Export licence + end-user statement	Some dual-use equipment and materials need an export licence; tell us the use and end user in advance.

If you are not sure which category your goods fall into, send us the product name, materials and composition, and use. We check the destination country's rules and tell you clearly which documents you need. With complete documents, most categories can be shipped normally.

Category 3

Nigeria-specific import restrictions

To protect local industry, Nigeria bans or restricts imports of some categories. Policies change, so confirm the current enforcement with us before you order.

Goods	Current status
Second-hand clothing	Long on Nigeria's import prohibition list
Some used vehicles (over the age limit)	Subject to an age limit; vehicles over the limit cannot be imported
Some processed poultry and meat	Long subject to import restrictions
Bulk wheat flour, some refined edible oils	Restricted under policies protecting local industry
Controlled medicines and some medical supplies	Require approval from NAFDAC and the relevant authorities

These restrictions follow the import prohibition lists published by Nigeria's federal government and customs. The policies change with local industrial policy, and we check what is currently enforced before accepting a shipment. For the official position, see the Nigeria Customs Service and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

Common questions about prohibited and restricted goods

Can you ship replica-brand (F-brand) goods?

Yes. F-brand goods are among the categories we carry. Send us the product list before shipping, and we quote after checking each description.

My goods contain batteries. Can they still go cleared and duty paid?

Yes, but they must be declared under the compliance rules for battery goods. You provide the UN38.3 test report and MSDS, we decide from them whether the goods go through the dangerous goods channel or in a special container, and we quote for the actual channel. If battery products are declared as general cargo and inspected, the result is return shipment, fines and long port delays, costing far more than a compliant declaration.

How do I tell whether my goods are dangerous goods?

Look at the UN number and hazard class in the product's MSDS (safety data sheet). If the MSDS shows no hazard, you can apply for a non-dangerous goods appraisal report as the basis for declaration. If you do not have an MSDS, send us the product's ingredient list and we will help make an initial assessment.

My goods are not on this list. Can you carry them?

This list covers the most frequent categories and cannot include every product. Tell us the product name, materials and composition, use, and whether it contains batteries, magnets or liquids. We check the destination country's specific rules, give you a clear answer and explain which documents you need.

View the document checklist SONCAP and NAFDAC certification

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Prohibited and restricted goods list for international freight (China to Africa)

Goods we do not carry at all

Carried when compliance documents are in place

Nigeria-specific import restrictions

Common questions about prohibited and restricted goods

Not sure whether your goods can ship?