This article is for you if you truly want to learn more in detail about how procurement and shipping from China to Nigeria work.
This article is also for you if you are tired of asking questions about how to import from China and how to find the best logistics company from China to Nigeria.
That is not all, you will also be learning which logistics company is best to ship from China to Nigeria. You will also learn how to calculate the shipping fees from China to Nigeria including the clearing fee.
There is a lot to learn from this article. I would not want to spill the beans yet
By the way, my name is Chuks Amobi. I help you and other small business owners, corporate bodies, and companies to buy from China and ship them from China to Nigeria at Freightya.
Let’s get down to the real business of the day.
How does buying from China to Nigeria work?
[exhales deeply] Before anyone can think about buying from China, the first thing to consider is the actual product the person wants to buy.
The reason is that buying from China serves different purposes depending on what the person needs.
This is what I mean
If you need to buy heavy machinery, and tools then Alibaba is the recommended platform to find suppliers. Our reason is that machinery, tools are designed according to countries’ quality control and specifications.
In some countries like Nigeria, the ideal energy rating is usually 220 – 240 volts. The socket is british type head with a fuse. The wire connecting this machine to the power source should have a very high resistance to avoid fire outbreak as a result of not resisting much current flowing through the wire.
There are similar situations like this.
Probably, you might be wondering what Alibaba means. (not Ali Baba comedian). In China, there are many online platforms (e-commerce websites) that help individuals order from the country without the need for them to travel to China.
Some of China’s e-commerce websites are
- Alibaba.com
- AliExpress.com
- 1688.com
- Made-in-china.com
- Globalsource.com
- Taobao.com
- etc
When I mentioned Alibaba earlier, it means that Alibaba is one of the online platforms in China that helps even foreigners to buy from China without visiting China. Just at the comfort of their homes.
That is to say, if I need to buy an inverter machine from China, the recommended platform is Alibaba. You are free to inquire from the seller so that what they offer meets your requirements.
I believe that this makes a little sense to you. Right?
Now that you have known how buying from China starts, let’s talk about how to procure from China.
Before I continue, the platforms like 1688.com, and taobao.com are completely in China. Both the app and the website are in China. They do not accept even a debit card (ATM card). You need to resort to the services of a trusted and genuine procurement agent.
And that is where Freightya does wonders. We make complicated things look very easy for our customers. You should not bother if it is the first time you’re hearing about 1688 and Taobao.
For our company, the major platforms we procure for our customers are
- Alibaba
- 1688 and
- Taobao.
These platforms are easy and offer better customer security than the others.
How to buy from Alibaba
Alibaba has thousands of Chinese suppliers and products listed on its website or mobile app. Both their website and mobile app are in English.
You can get the app from App Store or Play Store respectively. Follow the simple instructions to register. Once you are registered, you have free access to thousands of products and suppliers.
What do I do to buy from Alibaba?
If you have bought from Jumia, then Alibaba is easier. With Alibaba, you can type the name of what you want to buy, and click search.
If I want to buy a hair clipper from Alibaba, I would search for “clipper”
Alibaba will show me thousands of sellers offering to sell me a clipper. The prices are always there. You can compare which seller is willing to sell at a slightly cheaper price.
Meanwhile, before you consider any supplier on Alibaba, take note of their account information. Everything is boldly written on Alibaba.
Once you have seen the clipper you like, I will click on either “chat” or inquiry.
This will take me to a conversation with the seller. With this, I can bargain, ask many questions about what I want to buy.
That is very simple.
After you have negotiated with the seller, they will create a proforma invoice for you. You can either make payments in dollars or Chinese currency, Renminbi (Yuan or RMB).
What do I do to buy from 1688?
1688 is another platform that helps foreigners to buy from China in their home country. 1688 is a bit different from Alibaba. It is even the best choice for Nigerians.
What do you think makes it the best choice for Nigerians? Cheap price.
We have compared Alibaba and 1688 in our other article. You can read the differences between Alibaba and 1688 here
Buying from 1688 or Taobao
We have explained how to order from 1688 in one of our articles here. Click here to read more about it before jumping back for the rest of the article.
Let’s say that you have just bought from Alibaba or 1688 or even 1688.
But before you can buy, the seller would need your freight forwarder’s address. In fact, the first question would be “Do you have a freight forwarder in China?”
A freight forwarder could mean your shipping agent from China to Nigeria. Someone or a company that would ship what you just bought from China to Nigeria.
Of course, Freightya is a freight forwarding company. We can help you to ship goods from anywhere in China to Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Zambia, and South Africa.
The sellers will ask for our warehouse address in China in order to help them send it to us. We will receive your goods and inform you that we have received them before we can ship it down to you.
How much is the shipping fee from China to Nigeria per kg?
The current Normal Air Cargo shipping fee from China to Nigeria is $7.1 per kg
The current Sensitive Air Cargo shipping fee from China to Nigeria is $7.5 per kg
The current sea shipping fee is $330 per cbm including clearing. Click here to learn more about sea shipping
How much is the customs clearing fee from China to Nigeria?
The current Normal Air Cargo shipping fee from China to Nigeria is ₦500 per kg
The current Sensitive Air Cargo shipping fee from China to Nigeria is ₦500 per kg
How many days does it take a ship goods from China to Nigeria?
It takes 7-10 days to ship normal goods from China to Nigeria.
It takes 12-16 days to ship sensitive/battery goods from China to Nigeria.
It takes 70-90 days to ship through sea shipping from China to Nigeria.
What do normal goods and sensitive goods mean in Shipping?
A good is considered to be normal when it contains no fluid, or battery (any slightest battery be it a wristwatch or earbuds). Here, you talk about clothing materials and fashionable items without batteries. They are shipped through Guangzhou. It can be called GZ shipping.
A good is considered sensitive or a battery good when it contains fluid, battery, and chemicals. It can be lipgloss, cream, powder, earbuds, any watches, electronics, or rechargeable. They are shipped through Hong Kong and take longer time than normal goods. It can be called HK shipping.
The fastest shipping company from China to Nigeria?
Well, we may not speak for everybody. The truth is that almost all freight forwarders use the same shipping companies.
There is a difference between a shipping company and a freight forwarder.
Shipping companies own ships and cargo flights
Freight forwarders look for the best shipping companies that offer what their customer needs.
Air Peace is a Nigerian airline company that owns flights in different routes within Nigeria.
Wakanow is a flight ticketing company that offers a different range of ticketing support. They help you to get the best deals on your travels.
That is the same case with shipping companies and freight forwarders.
You get the point now?
Talking about the fastest shipping company from China to Nigeria, we will give to Freightya.
We have recorded 5 days shipping, 7 days shipping, 10 days shipping for both our normal air cargo and sensitive shipping.
On the other hand, we have recorded 30 days, 36 days of sea shipping.
I believe these are great feats. But it doesn’t mean that we have never had challenges with our delivery.
Logistics is an unpredictable business. There could be Shortlands, strike, flight delays in China, customs delay in Nigeria, and seizure of goods considered contraband in China.
These are beyond our control since we have no control over the incidents. We send goods to the airport, the airport handles the rest. When it gets to Nigeria, customs officials continue from where the Chinese stopped until it gets into our hands.
Do you have goods to import from China to Nigeria? Click here to see how our procurement and shipping services work.
I hope you learned a few from this article. Please leave a comment.