Shipping cost from China to Nigeria
To ship from China to Nigeria in 2026, expect $11–$15/kg air express (1–5 days) or $200–$280/CBM sea LCL (35–50 days). Main port: Apapa and Tin Can Island (Lagos).
Live calculator below, plus the full per-method table, port + forwarder context, and a link to the duty + VAT applied by Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on arrival.
How much does it cost to ship from China to Nigeria?
+ customs duty + VAT applied at arrival (see the customs page for your country).
Estimate based on indicative China → Africa rates (June 2026 reference). Real quotes vary by season, container availability, weight density and forwarder relationship. Confirm with your freight forwarder before booking.
Freight rates by method — China → Nigeria
| Method | Range | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| Air express (DHL/FedEx/UPS) | $11–$15 /kg | 1–5 d |
| Air standard / consolidator | $7–$10 /kg | 7–12 d |
| Sea LCL (less than container) | $200–$280 /CBM | 35–50 d |
| Sea FCL — 20ft container | $2,800–$4,200 /container | 35–50 d |
| Sea FCL — 40ft container | $4,500–$6,800 /container | 35–50 d |
Ports and infrastructure: Nigeria
Main seaport: Apapa and Tin Can Island (Lagos), with Onne (Port Harcourt) for the east.
Air-cargo gateway: Murtala Muhammed Cargo Terminal, Lagos (LOS).
Typical imported goods: consumer electronics and phones, textiles and fabrics, building materials and steel, auto parts, generators.
Customs authority: Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). See the customs page →
What the China → Nigeria lane looks like
Lane type. This is a high-volume direct deepwater lane: this is one of the most heavily-trafficked Chinese-export routes on the continent, with the deepest public rate coverage and the most forwarder competition.
What that means in practice. Containers discharge at twin neighbouring terminals that handle the bulk of national throughput; chronic congestion there means the on-paper transit time and the real gate-out time can diverge by a week or more in peak periods.
What affects your shipping cost
- Cargo density. Air freight charges the higher of actual vs volumetric weight. For bulky/light goods (foam, clothing), volumetric dominates. For dense goods (metal), actual weight does.
- Season. Q4 (October–December, before Christmas and Lunar New Year) is peak season — prices can rise 20–40%. Q1–Q2 is low season.
- Arrival port fees. Handling, storage, clearance — easily US$200–500 on arrival even for a small LCL shipment. Always request a "door-to-door all-in" quote.
- Currency and FX. Freight is billed in USD. Conversion at time of payment to your forwarder in Naira — watch the USD/NGN rate.
Which Chinese ports usually serve Nigeria?
Five Chinese hubs dominate exports to Nigeria: Shenzhen / Yantian (Pearl River Delta, the largest for electronics), Shanghai / Yangshan (Yangtze, broad high-tonnage), Ningbo-Zhoushan (Zhejiang, near Yiwu), Guangzhou / Nansha (south China), and Qingdao (north China, machinery and steel).
Choice depends on where your supplier is located (each hub drains ~500 km of hinterland), departure schedule to Apapa and Tin Can Island (Lagos), and container availability. Ask your forwarder the weekly sailing frequency from each port — that determines whether you wait 3 or 14 days to load.
Because demand on this lane is so deep, LCL groupage sails frequently and you rarely wait long for consolidation — the binding delay is clearance, not the ocean leg.
Choosing a forwarder for Nigeria
With so many forwarders competing on this lane, vet on clearance track record rather than headline freight price — the cheap quote often hides the terminal-congestion and demurrage exposure that actually decides your landed cost here.
A good China → Nigeria forwarder does three things: (1) has an office or correspondent BOTH in China AND in Nigeria, (2) can consolidate multiple suppliers into a single shipment, (3) knows Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and can handle clearance at Apapa and Tin Can Island (Lagos) without an additional middleman.
Always request a "door-to-door" quote that includes: pickup at the Chinese supplier, export fees, sea or air freight, arrival port fees, customs clearance, and delivery to your warehouse. On this lane specifically, validate the forwarder with a small test batch (1 CBM or 50 kg) before trusting them with a full shipment.