Shipping from China to Nigeria: Sea Freight, Ports and Transit Times

Main Route: Ningbo/Shanghai/Shenzhen to Lagos

Most of our exports move by sea from Ningbo, Shanghai or Shenzhen to Apapa or Tin Can Island ports in Lagos. Transit time is 30–40 days for a full or shared container.

For faster or smaller shipments, air freight from Guangzhou to Lagos takes 5–8 days but costs several times more per kilo – sensible only for samples or high-value items.

Container Options

A 20ft container fits roughly 900–1200 solar panels (200W class) or a large mix of phone accessories; a 40ft container about double. Shared containers (LCL) let you ship small volumes, typically 1–5 cubic metres, for a fixed rate per cubic metre.

FOB vs CIF vs Door-to-Door

FOB: you handle freight, insurance and clearing – cheapest but most work. CIF: supplier arranges freight and insurance to Lagos, you clear. Door-to-door: we deliver to your warehouse in Lagos, Ibadan or Abuja – easiest for first-time importers.

However you ship, use a reputable freight forwarder and insure the cargo: containers do get damaged or delayed, and insurance costs only 0.3–0.5% of the cargo value.