Route rate sheet · Sea freight · USA to Nigeria
Ship a car from the USA to Nigeria
Newark/Elizabeth to Port of Lagos (Apapa) in a sealed container. One price covers ocean freight, export handling in the USA and marine insurance; destination port charges, duty and VAT are shown separately below.
Rates verified 9 Nov 2026 · page refreshed 10 Nov 2026
8,490 km great circle · 15-37 days
Rates verified 9 Nov 2026 · page refreshed 10 Nov 2026
At a glance
USA to Nigeria car shipping: cost, time and rules
Shipping a car from the USA to Nigeria with IPAS Express costs from $4,931 port to port for one car in its own 20ft container, with live rates from our shipping desk. Duty and VAT in Nigeria are quoted separately in the landed-cost examples below.
- Ocean freight · 20ft
- $3,050–4,750
- Newark/Elizabeth → Port of Lagos (Apapa)
- Ocean freight · 40ft
- $4,500–6,650
- Two cars, or one large SUV plus parts
- Port to port, 1 car
- from $4,931
- Ocean freight + export handling + insurance
- Sea transit
- 15-37 days
- Port to port
- Import Duty
- 10-20% of CIF
- 20% passenger cars (HS 8703), 10% commercial trucks (HS 8704)
- VAT/GST
- 7.5% VAT
- Applied to cumulative total; 0% for battery electric vehicles under 2025 Finance Act
- Steering
- LHD only
- Right-hand-drive vehicles cannot be registered for road use in Nigeria
- Age Limit
- ~10 years
- Policy trend from date of manufacture; ECOWAS-aligned, moving toward Euro 4+ compliance
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Rate sheet · Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal → Port of Lagos (Apapa)
What it costs, line by line
Insurance is figured on a declared value of $46,600 (reference vehicle: 2025 Ford F-150). 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
$4,931per car $4,931- Ocean freight
- $3,100
- Export handling
- $1,728
- Insurance
- $103
- Destination est. (at port)
- $1,740
2 cars · 40ft high-cube
Two cars you ship together, or a group booking
$7,729per car $3,864- Ocean freight
- $4,550
- Export handling
- $2,978
- Insurance
- $201
- 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 ~$2,500- Ocean freight
- $4,550
- 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 (USA) | 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 | $4,931 | $4,931 | $3,100 | $1,728packaging $1,250 · THC $33 · clearance $30 | $103 | $1,740THC $240 · customs handling $1,500 |
| 2 cars · 40ft high-cubeTwo cars you ship together, or a group booking | $7,729 | $3,864 | $4,550 | $2,978packaging 2×$1,250 · THC $33 · clearance $30 | $201 | $1,740THC $240 · customs handling $1,500 |
| 3–4 cars · racked 40ft HCCompact cars on a rack system; racking quoted per booking | Quote | from ~$2,500 | $4,550 | 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 $970 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 USA
- Included: Terminal handling at Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal
- Included: Ocean freight Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal → 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 · USA
USA
Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal
Discharge ports · Nigeria
Nigeria
Port of Lagos (Apapa)
Landed-cost examples · Nigeria
Cars worth importing to Nigeria
Each card is a full landed-cost worksheet computed against the destination's live duty rules. Expand one for the breakdown or open its calculator with the destination pre-selected.
Here is the full landed cost of one car, a 2025 Ford F-150 shipped from the USA to Nigeria, worked out on 9 November 2026 with the customs rules in force that day. It lands at 99,366,299 NGN (about US$73,810), and duties and taxes come to 32.4% of its CIF value.
| Item | Share of CIF | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle priceIPAS price for a car sourced in the USA | 62,734,989 NGNUS$46,600 | |
| Shipping and insuranceUSA to Nigeria | 8,453,069 NGNUS$6,279 | |
| CIF valueCost, insurance and freight: the customs value | 71,188,058 NGNUS$52,879 | |
| Customs duties and taxes | ||
| Basic customs duty (10%)10% of CIF | 7,118,940 NGNUS$5,288 | |
| Additional duty (7%)Base or related charges differ from CIF; see the duty structure above13.2% of CIF | 9,361,784 NGNUS$6,954 | |
| GST/VAT (7.5%)7.5% of CIF plus the duties above9.2% of CIF | 6,575,058 NGNUS$4,884 | |
| Total duties and taxes32.4% of CIF | 23,055,782 NGNUS$17,126 | |
| Service and handling | ||
| Premium Import ServiceOptional end-to-end import management by IPAS | 2,779,995 NGNUS$2,065 | |
| Destination handlingPort terminal and customs clearance handling | 2,342,465 NGNUS$1,740 | |
| Total landed cost | 99,366,299 NGNUS$73,810 | |
Available now in USA
Export-ready units from USA
Importing to Nigeria
Registering a car from the USA in Nigeria
What buyers shipping from the USA 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
USA to Nigeria shipping questions
With IPAS Express, shipping one car from the USA to Nigeria costs from $4,931 port to port in its own 20ft container, with sea transit of 15-37 days. Import duty and VAT in Nigeria are quoted separately in the landed-cost examples on this page.
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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