Nigeria: identity, certification and road-use checks
Selected Nigerian customs, standards and vehicle-licensing requirements. Conflicting official age-limit guidance and unresolved vehicle-certification details prevent confirmation that a particular Korean used passenger car may be imported.
Sources reviewedVehicle eligibility remains unconfirmed. Resolve the items below before purchase or shipment.
Check steering for Nigerian road use
FRSC’s current offence list includes driving a right-hand-steering vehicle. This road-use requirement does not establish customs admission or approval for a vehicle converted to left-hand steering.
Check the vehicle’s identity and history
Section 236 makes importing, exporting or attempting either an offence when the person knows the vehicle is stolen or knows its VIN has been removed, obliterated, tampered with or altered. Separate accident-damage and salvage admission rules remain unresolved.
Confirm the vehicle-certification route
SON’s published SONCAP scope does not give automobiles the general exclusion for used products. Confirm the applicable certification, any category-specific permit and pre-shipment requirements with SON/NADDC; the exact VehCAP procedure remains unresolved here.
Arrange VREG for vehicle licensing
The active VREG service states that a VREG number is compulsory for motor-vehicle licensing and renewal. This requirement is separate from confirming that Customs will admit the vehicle.
Documents and registration
Customs goods declaration
Section 47 requires the importer or authorised declarant to lodge a goods declaration, whether or not duties are payable. Declarations are in English and normally electronic; Customs may accept paper declarations where equivalent risk controls can be applied. The complete vehicle-specific supporting file remains to be confirmed.
VREG number for licensing and renewal
Provide the VREG number for vehicle licensing or renewal, and confirm the remaining local-registration checklist with the responsible authority.
Confirm before purchase
Still unconfirmed for your vehicle. Check with the relevant authority or receiving agent before purchase.
- Official trade-portal pages give conflicting vehicle-age limits. The current limit, calculation method and applicable exceptions require confirmation from Nigeria Customs before purchase or shipment.
- Current customs steering restrictions and the treatment of converted, accident-damaged, salvage, flood-damaged or end-of-life vehicles remain unresolved. No general admission guarantee is given.
- Confirm the operative VehCAP/SONCAP requirements, commencement, transition arrangements, exemptions and authorised inspection provider for a Korean shipment. Emissions and other technical eligibility are not established here.
- The complete import and local-registration document sets, personal versus commercial procedures, current customs platform, duties, taxes, official fees, freight and delivery dates require separate confirmation.
- Our US$100 condition inspection does not replace Nigerian statutory conformity assessment, customs examination or local vehicle inspection and registration.
Shipping & costs
For Nigeria, specify the receiving city and importer. Request a written offer showing the route, transport stages, delivery point, insurance and included charges. Confirm vehicle eligibility and required approvals before booking.
What goes into the cost?
Send the vehicle listing, quantity and delivery point. Eligibility and required approvals must be confirmed before arranging shipment. Freight and departure dates need a current offer.
Vehicle purchase
Confirm the vehicle price, invoice and payment recipient.
Vehicle inspection — US$100
Our pre-purchase condition inspection; separate from required government testing or certification.
Korea-side preparation
Request itemized inland transport, export documents, handling and loading.
International freight & insurance
Confirm the route, shipping method, insurance, quote validity and exclusions.
Destination charges
Ask your receiving agent about handling, customs, taxes, registration and delivery costs.
Inspection & next steps
- Send your vehicle details.
Share a listing or your preferred model, year and budget.
- Confirm eligibility, then inspect — US$100.
Our vehicle condition inspection is separate from government testing or certification.
- Review the shipping offer.
Confirm the route, costs and required approvals before booking.
Official sources & review dates
View 5 official sources and review notes
Source publication or amendment dates and our review dates are listed separately.
- Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023 — sections 47 and 236 ↗Federal Republic of Nigeria — Official Gazette, supplied by the National Single Window trade portalGazette publication: Effective: Reviewed: Reopened the Act linked by the official trade-portal legislation list and checked sections 47 and 236. The Gazette publication is 9 June 2023; commencement is 20 April 2023. The parliamentary amendment listing is a bill record, not proof of enacted changes. This limited review does not resolve separate vehicle-admission restrictions.
- Offences & Penalties — Notice of Offence Sheet ↗Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)Source updated: Not stated for this guidanceReviewed: Reopened the FRSC offence list and checked the right-hand-steering driving entry. No substantive publication or revision date is displayed. Only the stated road-use requirement is used; customs admission, steering conversions and penalty amounts are not established here.
- SONCAP — scope and conformity assessment ↗Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)Source updated: Not stated for this guidanceReviewed: Reopened SONCAP scope and its category-specific import-permit provision. Automobiles remain outside the general exclusion for used products. No substantive revision date is displayed; the vehicle-specific certification route and its relationship to VehCAP remain unresolved.
- International Product Certification — VehCAP section ↗Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)Source updated: Not stated for this guidanceReviewed: Reopened the SON department page: it names the SON–NADDC vehicle conformity programme but still marks the detailed section as coming soon. This neither establishes its commencement and operative requirements nor proves that it is inactive.
- New VREG Registration — mandatory licensing and renewal notice ↗Federal Ministry of Finance — National Vehicle Registry (VREG)Source updated: Not stated for this guidanceReviewed: Read the notice rendered by the active VREG registration service. It requires a VREG number for vehicle licensing and renewal but displays no issue or commencement date. This notice does not establish a complete customs or local-registration checklist.