How to ship 1688 and Alibaba orders to Nigeria: sourcing, RMB payment and consolidation
How 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.
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1688 and Alibaba sellers usually ship only within China, not to Nigeria. Have each seller deliver to your forwarder's China warehouse, where the goods are received, counted and consolidated, then shipped to Lagos by shared container or air, cleared and delivered or held for pickup. If you have not ordered yet, the forwarder can buy for you and pay the sellers in RMB.
Information updated: 2026-10-05
Five steps from order to delivery
- Choose the products and sellers, and send the order details (links, quantities, seller contacts) to your forwarder.
- The forwarder gives you the address of the nearest China warehouse (Qingdao, Lianyungang, Shenzhen, Guangzhou or Yiwu), and you ask sellers to deliver there following the receiving rules.
- The warehouse receives the goods, counts and photographs them, consolidates them once everything arrives, and ships by shared container or air depending on volume and urgency.
- The cargo is cleared at the Lagos port or airport. On the Nigeria route, duties and VAT are included in the quote.
- The goods are delivered to your address, or you collect them from the Lagos warehouse.
Sourcing and RMB payment
Many Nigerian buyers have no Alipay or RMB account, which makes ordering on 1688 difficult. With sourcing, you hand the product links or supplier contacts to the forwarder, who places the order, pays the seller in RMB and has the goods delivered to the China warehouse.
You can pay in local currency, US dollars or RMB; the payment method is confirmed with the quote.
Sea or air
| Shared container (sea) | Air | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | 1 m³ or more, restocking that is not urgent | Small, urgent or high-value goods and samples |
| Minimum | From 1 m³ | From 21 kg |
| Transit | Depends on sailings; confirmed in the quote | About 7-12 days door to door |
You can split one order: fly the urgent part and send the rest in a shared container.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I wait for several sellers' goods to ship together?
The warehouse logs each delivery and ships once everything is in. You can send what has arrived first or wait for the full order; we tell you the arrival date and carton count for every delivery.
What if a seller sends the wrong goods or too few?
The warehouse counts and photographs every delivery. If the quantity does not match, we tell you first, and you confirm with the seller before loading, so you do not find out in Lagos.
Can products with batteries ship in the same consignment?
Yes, but they must be declared under the rules for battery-powered goods, with a UN38.3 test report and MSDS. See our battery shipping guide for details.