Hello. I have really been thinking for a while now about importing goods from China to Nigeria. During my research, I discovered some websites like alibaba.com, aliexpress.com and 1688.com. I am unsure of the process and how to actually buy the goods and get them to Nigeria. Do I need to worry about customs [I’ve been told no, but still not certain] ? Can I get cheaper rates than what these sites offer in terms of shipping costs? Is it a viable business? Do I receive the goods at my doorstep or do I have to travel to another state to get them?
Anyone with knowledge on how to go about this should please reply. Thanks guys.
Radar should be the Quora of Nigeria- There is no Quora for Nigeria [if there is, please show me] and I see a lot of Quora styled questions here on radar [e.g. this one] which shows a great demand for a platform like Quora for Africans [esp Nigerians].
If you’re buying items from stores like aliexpress and co, I think post is your best bet. It might be slow, but it’s a sure bet; NIPOST works pretty well (and has tracking too). Can you get cheaper rates? I’m not sure, it’s China afterall. With regular post, you pick up what you purchased from the nearest Post Office to your address; you might drop a couple hundred bucks to pick it up depending on the weight, it’s a standard charge.
If you’re ordering a low-volume run from an ODM/CM, you need to worry about Customs.
There are third-party sites like www.chrisvicmall.com that help both to purchase and/or ship from China to Nigeria. You will give their China address to your Supplier or fill it in as your destination on those websites. The items will be shipped to Chrisvicmall office in China and they will in turn send the item to you in Nigeria.
They handle Custom issues so you only pick up your item here in Nigeria. They have an office at Medical road, Ikeja after SLOT ,same building with Diamond Bank.
Hope this helps.
Disclaimer: I am NOT affiliated to Chrisvic . I am only a satisfied customer.