Importing Chinese SUVs to Nigeria and Ghana: Documents, Ports and Costs

To import new Chinese SUVs into Nigeria, open a Form M through your bank before the cars ship, meet any SON conformity requirement, and clear the cars at a Lagos port once customs issues a Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR). For Ghana, ship to Tema and clear through the Ghana Revenue Authority's customs system, ICUMS. In both countries, the order of steps matters more than speed. Doing them out of order is what causes demurrage.

EVtoU is an independent exporter based in China, not Changan. We ship new LHD Changan SUVs to West Africa, and both Nigeria and Ghana drive on the right with LHD vehicles. This guide covers the general process. A licensed clearing agent in each country should confirm the details for your shipment.

What are the steps to import a car into Nigeria?

Open Form M, confirm conformity, ship, obtain the PAAR, pay duties, then clear and register. Form M must come first.

1. Form M: your authorized dealer bank registers the import on the Nigeria Trade Single Window, using our proforma invoice. Do not ship before Form M is approved.
2. Conformity: check with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) whether your vehicles fall under SONCAP, and get any product certificate needed before shipment.
3. Shipment: we load in China and send the bill of lading, commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin.
4. PAAR: Nigeria Customs Service reviews the documents and issues the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report, which sets out the duty assessment.
5. Duty payment and clearance: your clearing agent pays assessed duties and levies and clears the cars at the port.
6. Registration: plates and papers through the state licensing authority.

The Nigeria Customs Service publishes current procedures and tariff notices. The Standards Organisation of Nigeria explains SONCAP and lists regulated products.

How much duty does Nigeria charge on imported SUVs?

Nigeria applies the ECOWAS Common External Tariff plus national levies and VAT on vehicles. Levies on fully built vehicles have been a policy tool and have changed, so get a current figure from your clearing agent before you set prices.

Customs uses a CIF-type value, which includes freight and insurance, so budget for those even if you buy FOB. The exchange rate used for duty also moves, and it can change your landed cost more than the car's price does. Ask your agent to recalculate close to arrival.

What are the steps to import a car into Ghana?

Ship to Tema, declare the cars in ICUMS through a licensed customs broker, pay duties and taxes, then register the cars with the DVLA.

1. Pre-arrival: your broker lodges the declaration in ICUMS, the Integrated Customs Management System, using our invoice, bill of lading and packing list.
2. Classification and valuation: customs assesses duty and taxes on the declared value.
3. Payment: duties, levies and VAT are paid through the system.
4. Examination and release: cars may be inspected at the port before release.
5. Registration: the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) registers the car and issues plates.

The Ghana Revenue Authority customs division publishes procedures, tariffs and ICUMS guidance. Ghana's rules on over-aged and salvage vehicles do not affect new cars, which makes new imports simpler to clear than used ones. Duty rates follow the ECOWAS Common External Tariff plus national levies; check current rates with your broker.

How do Nigeria and Ghana compare for an importer?

Nigeria is the larger market with more pre-shipment steps. Ghana has a simpler single system but a smaller market.

Ro-Ro or container to Lagos and Tema?

Ro-Ro for batches, containers for small or mixed orders. Both Lagos and Tema receive Ro-Ro and container services from Asia.

Port congestion can add time and storage cost at either end, so plan clearance documents before the ship arrives. A container gives more protection and lets you add declared spare parts. Ro-Ro is usually cheaper per car for larger batches. Our guide to Ro-Ro vs container shipping covers the trade-offs in detail.

Which Changan SUVs suit Nigeria and Ghana?

The CS75 PLUS suits most buyers and fleets, the CS55 PLUS is the value option, and the 2026 CS75 PLUS 2.0T works as a flagship in cities such as Lagos, Abuja and Accra.

Heat, heavy traffic and mixed road surfaces favor a conventional automatic and good ground clearance. That is why government, NGO and executive taxi buyers in the region often choose the CS75 PLUS. Specs come from the Changan Egypt CS75 PLUS page. Plan parts support too: warranty follows the destination-market policy, with parts supplied from China.

What documents does EVtoU provide?

We provide the proforma for Form M, and the full shipping set once the cars sail.

• Proforma invoice for your bank to open Form M (Nigeria).
• Commercial invoice with VIN, engine number and color for each car.
• Packing list and bill of lading.
• Certificate of origin.
• Pre-loading inspection file with photos, VIN, build date and odometer, plus third-party inspection reports where you order them.

See the shipping and import guide for documents by region and our services for inspection and consolidation. Fleet buyers can plan staged deliveries with fleet solutions.

How do I get a quote to Lagos or Tema?

Send your port, models and quantity through the contact page, or message our WhatsApp sales team. We will send a proforma you can use for Form M, FOB and CIF prices, and current lead times: 20–30 days to port for CS55 PLUS stock colors and 25–35 days for the CS75 PLUS.