Route rate sheet · Sea freight · Canada to Nigeria
Ship a car from Canada to Nigeria
Halifax, Montréal, Vancouver to Port of Lagos (Apapa) in a sealed container. One price covers ocean freight, export handling in Canada and marine insurance; destination port charges, duty and VAT are shown separately below.
Rates verified 8 Nov 2026 · page refreshed 10 Nov 2026
7,690 km great circle · 16-81 days
Rates verified 8 Nov 2026 · page refreshed 10 Nov 2026
At a glance
Canada to Nigeria car shipping: cost, time and rules
Shipping a car from Canada to Nigeria with IPAS Express costs from $5,333 port to port for one car in its own 20ft container, with sea transit of 16-81 days. Nigeria uses left-hand-drive cars, which suits Canadian-market vehicles. A petrol car below 2,000 cc pays about 50.34% of its CIF value in duty and taxes, new or used.
Nigeria uses left-hand-drive vehicles, so Canadian-market cars match; right-hand drive is a likely registration block.
- Steering
- Left-hand drive
- Nigeria drives on the right. Canadian cars are LHD, so they fit; a right-hand-drive car is a likely registration block.
- Age limit
- Unconfirmed; check before buying
- Press reports cite 9 or 12 years, but no gazetted limit was traced. Confirm with a licensed customs agent.
- Main charges
- Import duty 20%, import levy 10%, VAT 7.5%
- Plus a 7% surcharge, 0.5% ETLS levy, 1% CISS on FOB, and a green tax of 2% (2,000 to 3,999 cc) or 4% (4,000 cc and above). The 10% levy applies to new and used cars.
- Typical total
- About 50.34% of CIF for a petrol car below 2,000 cc
- About 52.49% for 2,000 to 3,999 cc and 54.64% for 4,000 cc and above.
- Pickups and EVs
- Open-bed pickups: 10% duty, no levy; electric cars: no levy or green tax
- A battery-electric car still pays 20% duty and VAT, about 39.59% of CIF.
- Ports and clearance
- Lagos (Apapa); Nigeria Customs Service
- A Form M opened through an authorised dealer bank is required where foreign exchange is paid through the banking system.
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Rate sheet · Port of Halifax (Autoport) → Port of Lagos (Apapa)
What it costs, line by line
Insurance is figured on a declared value of $48,600 (reference vehicle: 2026 Ford Bronco). Every line comes from the same tables the calculator reads, so the quote you get matches this sheet.
1 car · own 20ft container
Any car up to 5.6 m, sealed; door-to-door available
$5,333per car $5,333- Ocean freight
- $4,200
- Export handling
- $1,025
- Insurance
- $108
- Destination est. (at port)
- $1,740
2 cars · 40ft high-cube
Two cars you ship together, or a group booking
$6,883per car $3,442- Ocean freight
- $5,150
- Export handling
- $1,525
- Insurance
- $208
- Destination est. (at port)
- $1,740
3–4 cars · racked 40ft HC
Compact cars on a rack system; racking quoted per booking
Quoteper car from ~$1,900- Ocean freight
- $5,150
- Export handling
- on request
- Insurance
- per value
- Destination est. (at port)
- —
RoRo · per car
Oversize vehicles only; not offered for passenger cars
On requestper car —- Ocean freight
- on request
- Export handling
- on request
- Insurance
- —
- Destination est. (at port)
- —
Scroll for line-by-line costs →
| Shipping option | Total · IPAS price | Per car | Ocean freight | Export handling (Canada) | Insurance 0.2% | Destination charges · est., payable at port |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 car · own 20ft containerAny car up to 5.6 m, sealed; door-to-door available | $5,333 | $5,333 | $4,200 | $1,025packaging $500 · THC $275 · clearance $250 | $108 | $1,740THC $240 · customs handling $1,500 |
| 2 cars · 40ft high-cubeTwo cars you ship together, or a group booking | $6,883 | $3,442 | $5,150 | $1,525packaging 2×$500 · THC $275 · clearance $250 | $208 | $1,740THC $240 · customs handling $1,500 |
| 3–4 cars · racked 40ft HCCompact cars on a rack system; racking quoted per booking | Quote | from ~$1,900 | $5,150 | on request | per value | — |
| RoRo · per carOversize vehicles only; not offered for passenger cars | On request | — | on request | on request | — | — |
Door pick-up within the port's standard radius adds about $660 per car. Insurance is 0.2% of the declared vehicle value, with a per-car minimum. Destination charges are paid at Port of Lagos (Apapa) on arrival and are not part of the total. Duty and VAT are not in this table either: see the landed-cost examples below or run CarImport.AI. Ocean figures are our current route rates and update when the rate table changes.
Included in the IPAS price
- Included: Export packaging, chocking and lashing inside the container
- Included: Export customs clearance in Canada
- Included: Terminal handling at Port of Halifax (Autoport)
- Included: Ocean freight Port of Halifax (Autoport) → Port of Lagos (Apapa)
- Included: Marine insurance at 0.2% of the declared value
- Included: Bill of Lading, packing list and tracking
Not included
- Not included: Destination port charges (shown per row; paid at Port of Lagos (Apapa) on arrival)
- Not included: Nigeria customs duty and VAT
- Not included: Conformity certification and registration inspection
- Not included: Inland collection unless door pick-up is selected
- Not included: Storage or demurrage after the port's free days
- Not included: Personal effects: the car ships empty
Ports & inland reach
Where your car leaves and arrives
Load ports · Canada
Canada
Port of Halifax (Autoport)
Halifax, Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada
Port of Montréal
Montreal, Quebec and Ontario
Port of Vancouver (Annacis Auto Terminal)
Vancouver, British Columbia and Western Canada
Discharge ports · Nigeria
Nigeria
Port of Lagos (Apapa)
Lagos Apapa, Lagos and southwest Nigeria
Timeline
Booking to keys in hand
- 2–5
1. Booking and export documents at origin
days
- 2–4
2. Container loading and export customs
days
- 26–33
3. Ocean transit
days
- 1–3
4. Arrival and discharge at the Nigerian port
days
- 3–7
5. Customs clearance and duty payment
days
- 2–10
6. Registration and collection
days
Typical door to door: 5–9 weeks.
Documents
Paperwork on both ends
We prepare the shipping set; you supply the ownership and identity documents.
Export side · Canada
Before the car can load
- 01Original vehicle registration / ownership
- 02Bill of sale
- 03CBSA export declaration (CERS)
- 04Photo ID
- 05Bill of lading
Import side · Nigeria
To clear and register in Nigeria
- 01Form MOpened through an authorised dealer bank before shipment where foreign exchange is paid through the banking system.
- 02Customs declaration to the Nigeria Customs ServiceCustoms may replace a low declared value with its own reference value.
Landed-cost examples · Nigeria
Cars worth importing to Nigeria
Landed-cost examples for Nigeria, from other origins.
Available now in Canada
Export-ready units from Canada
Importing to Nigeria
Registering a car from Canada in Nigeria
What buyers shipping from Canada need to know about Nigeria's import duties, steering rules and registration.
Importing a vehicle to Nigeria carries 35-57% total duties under the ECOWAS CET and NAC Levy regime. Nigeria accepts only LHD vehicles and enforces a ~10-year maximum age policy at the port of Apapa or Tin Can Island.
Import Process: Nigeria
- 1
Open Form M via Authorized Bank
Submit Form M with proforma invoice and insurance certificate through a Nigerian authorized dealer bank. This e-Form is mandatory before shipment and links to the NCS Single Window.
- 2
Obtain Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR)
After Form M approval, NCS issues the PAAR electronically using CIF value and HS classification. PAAR must be generated before the vessel arrives at Lagos.
- 3
Ship to Apapa or Tin Can Island Port
Cargo is consigned to Lagos ports. Apapa handles most RoRo vehicles while Tin Can Island processes both RoRo and container shipments; transit runs 25-40 days from most origins.
- 4
NCS Physical Inspection and Duty Payment
Clearing agent presents PAAR, Bill of Lading, and Form M at Customs. NCS verifies chassis number and engine capacity, then duties plus VAT are paid through designated banks in Naira.
- 5
VREG Registration and Number Plates
After port release, register the vehicle on the Vehicle Registration (VREG) portal and obtain Federal Road Safety Corps number plates from the state Motor Licensing Authority.
- 6
Road License, Insurance, and Roadworthiness
Secure third-party insurance, pay the road license, and complete the Computerized Vehicle Inspection (CVI) to obtain a roadworthiness certificate valid for road use.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Shipping vehicle before opening Form M with a Nigerian bank
Fix
Form M must be approved by an authorized dealer bank before the bill of lading is issued; otherwise NCS refuses PAAR and cargo incurs demurrage at Apapa.
Declaring wrong HS code or low CIF to reduce duty
Fix
NCS routinely applies valuation uplift using reference databases; misclassification triggers penalties of 25-100% of underpaid duty plus possible seizure under CEMA.
Importing a vehicle older than 10 years from manufacture
Fix
Nigeria enforces a ~10-year age policy aligned with ECOWAS; older vehicles face outright rejection or severe penalty duty. Check the manufacture year on the VIN plate before purchase.
FAQ
Canada to Nigeria shipping questions
With IPAS Express, shipping one car from Canada to Nigeria costs from $5,333 port to port in its own 20ft container, with sea transit of 16-81 days. Import duty and taxes in Nigeria are paid on arrival and are not included.
Yes. Nigeria drives on the right and uses left-hand-drive cars, so Canadian-market vehicles are the right steering side. A right-hand-drive car is a likely block for registration.
No gazetted age limit was found. Press reports cite 9 or 12 years from manufacture. Confirm with a licensed customs agent before you buy or ship.
Import duty is 20% and an import levy of 10% applies to new and used cars, plus a 7% surcharge, 0.5% ETLS levy, 1% CISS and VAT of 7.5%. A green tax of 2% or 4% applies from 2,000 cc. A petrol car below 2,000 cc totals about 50.34% of CIF.
Ocean transit from the east coast takes 16-81 days. Vancouver sailings take longer. Allow extra days for export documents, loading, discharge and customs clearance.
Use the port closest to the car: Halifax, Montreal or Vancouver. Cars discharge at Lagos (Apapa).
Form M is a mandatory e-declaration opened through a Nigerian authorized dealer bank before any vehicle is shipped. It links the importer, CIF value, and HS code to the Nigeria Customs Service Single Window and triggers PAAR issuance.
After Form M approval, NCS electronically issues the PAAR, which states the assessed duty, NAC Levy, VAT, and other charges. The PAAR must be generated before vessel arrival and is presented at Apapa or Tin Can Island for duty payment.
Nigeria enforces a ~10-year age limit from date of manufacture, aligned with ECOWAS policy. Vehicles older than this face rejection, penalty duties, or seizure; policy is trending toward Euro 4+ emission compliance.
No. Nigeria registers only left-hand-drive vehicles. RHD cars cannot be issued a VREG registration or number plates and cannot be legally used on Nigerian roads; source only LHD units.
Apapa Port and Tin Can Island Port in Lagos handle virtually all vehicle imports. Apapa specializes in RoRo while Tin Can handles both RoRo and container cargo; clearance typically takes 10-14 days after vessel berthing.
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