For the Nigerian market, most companies have stumbled on SONCAP. Simply put, this is a mandatory conformity assessment program run by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and it governs whether your products exported to Nigeria meet their standards. Without a SONCAP certificate, your goods cannot clear customs upon arrival at Lagos Port, banks cannot issue letters of credit, and your customer will be left stunned. It works in two steps: first obtain Product Certification (Product Certificate), then use that certificate to apply for a clearance certificate (SC) shipment by shipment. Many people think that once they get a PC, everything is settled, only to find that when shipping, the SC has not been obtained and the goods are still stuck at port.
So which products require it? The scope is annoyingly broad. Electronic and electrical appliances, toys, auto parts, building materials, chemicals, food-contact materials, textiles... basically, except for food, drugs, and medical devices, which are regulated by NAFDAC, for all other industrial products you had better first ask whether SONCAP is required. Products that are electrically powered, carry chemical risks, or are related to children are inspected most strictly. Some factories think their products are semi-finished goods or industrial raw materials and therefore do not need it, but once customs classifies them, they still require you to supplement the certificate. So do not guess on your own; check the HS code and product description against SON's regulated list, or just ask experienced people like us.
The three most common pitfalls, I summarize them as follows. First, using a PC as an SC. A PC is a product conformity certificate, generally valid for one year, but before each shipment you still need to apply separately for an SC, so do not mix them up. Second, test reports are not recognized. SON only recognizes reports issued by laboratories they approve; if you bring a domestic CMA report, they will not even bother to look up. Third, product markings and instructions are non-compliant. Nigeria requires labels to include the manufacturer's name, address, product model, and country of origin, and some categories also mandatorily require English and specific warning statements. I have seen an entire container rejected and returned because the label lacked "Made in China"—is that not unfair?
As for timelines, keep this in mind. For product certification (PC), from sample submission and testing to certificate issuance, if all goes smoothly, three to four weeks; if testing fails and requires rectification and retesting, dragging on for two months is also normal. The SC clearance certificate is relatively faster, three to five working days if the documents are complete, but the premise is that your PC is valid, the test report matches, and the packing list and invoice information are consistent. Do not start only when the shipping schedule is tight; preparing one month in advance is safest. Finally, there is no such thing as "guaranteed pass" with SONCAP; if anyone promises you a guarantee, you should instead be careful. Making your products solid and your documents complete is better than anything else.