Importing from China to West Africa
A practical guide to sourcing, paying and shipping from China into West Africa, and the real differences in customs, ports, currency and duty from one country to the next.
Importing from China to West Africa follows the same core steps everywhere: find and check a supplier, pay compliantly, and ship by sea or air. What changes by country is the customs system, the main port, the currency and the import paperwork. ECOWAS members share one tariff; Cameroon, in Central Africa, does not.
Key takeaways
- The sourcing and shipping playbook is the same across the region; only the customs and payment rules change by country.
- ECOWAS members (Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Benin, Togo and others) share the ECOWAS five-band tariff.
- Francophone West Africa uses the CFA franc (XOF); Nigeria uses the naira and Ghana the cedi.
- Cameroon is Central Africa (CEMAC), with its own tariff, the GUCE single window at Douala and the XAF franc.
- Always pay suppliers through legal, documented channels and confirm current rules with each country’s customs.
Rayex Trade Desk
Rayex Global Enterprise, Guangzhou and Lagos
What stays the same across West Africa?
The hard part of importing from China is the same wherever you are based. You find a supplier on a marketplace like 1688 or Alibaba, confirm the factory is real and the product meets your spec, agree terms, pay through a legal channel, and move the goods by sea or air. Getting the supplier and the inspection right is what protects your money.
The part that changes is the border. Each country has its own customs platform, its own main port, its own currency and its own import documents. The rest of this guide covers those differences, with Nigeria as the main worked example.
Customs, ports and currency by country
This table compares the main entry points for importing from China. The ECOWAS tariff applies to all the ECOWAS members listed; Cameroon uses the separate CEMAC tariff.
| Country | Bloc | Single window | Main sea port | Currency | Tariff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | ECOWAS | Trade portal, Form M + PAAR | Lagos (Apapa, Tin Can), Lekki | Naira (NGN) | ECOWAS CET |
| Ghana | ECOWAS | ICUMS | Tema | Cedi (GHS) | ECOWAS CET |
| Cote d'Ivoire | ECOWAS | GUCE | Abidjan | CFA franc (XOF) | ECOWAS CET |
| Senegal | ECOWAS | ORBUS / GAINDE | Dakar | CFA franc (XOF) | ECOWAS CET |
| Benin | ECOWAS | GUCE | Cotonou | CFA franc (XOF) | ECOWAS CET |
| Togo | ECOWAS | SEGUCE / GUCE | Lome | CFA franc (XOF) | ECOWAS CET |
| Cameroon | CEMAC (Central Africa) | GUCE | Douala | CFA franc (XAF) | CEMAC CET |
Systems, ports, rates and currencies change. Confirm the current rules with each country's customs authority before you commit. Sierra Leone and other ECOWAS states also apply the ECOWAS tariff through their national customs.
Nigeria: the main example
Nigeria is the largest market in the region and the one we know best. Imports run on a Form M opened through your bank before shipment, a PAAR issued by Customs, and SONCAP or NAFDAC approval depending on the product. Goods arrive mainly through the Lagos ports at Apapa and Tin Can Island.
Read the Nigeria customs guideGhana and Francophone West Africa
Ghana clears imports through the ICUMS single window, with most container traffic going through Tema, and pays in cedis. Francophone West Africa pays in the West African CFA franc (XOF) and clears through national single windows: GUCE in Cote d'Ivoire at Abidjan, ORBUS and GAINDE in Senegal at Dakar, GUCE in Benin at Cotonou, and SEGUCE in Togo at Lome.
Because all of these are ECOWAS members, the ECOWAS tariff bands apply to goods coming from China. The documents, languages and local charges differ, so work with an agent who clears in that specific country.
Cameroon: Central Africa, not West Africa
Cameroon is in Central Africa and belongs to CEMAC, so it does not use the ECOWAS tariff. It applies the CEMAC Common External Tariff, clears imports through the GUCE single window at the Port of Douala, and uses the Central African CFA franc (XAF). The way you source and ship from China is the same, but treat Cameroon as a separate customs regime, not part of your West African setup.
Frequently asked questions
Do all West African countries charge the same import duty?+
Broadly yes. Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Benin, Togo and other ECOWAS members apply the ECOWAS Common External Tariff, which has five bands of 0, 5, 10, 20 and 35 percent set by HS code. National VAT, levies and charges still differ, so the final landed cost is not identical across countries.
Which West African countries use the CFA franc?+
The Francophone West African states, including Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Benin and Togo, use the West African CFA franc (XOF). Nigeria uses the naira (NGN) and Ghana uses the cedi (GHS). Cameroon, which is in Central Africa, uses a separate Central African CFA franc (XAF).
Is Cameroon in West Africa?+
No. Cameroon is in Central Africa and belongs to CEMAC, not ECOWAS. It applies the CEMAC Common External Tariff, clears imports through the GUCE single window at Douala, and uses the Central African CFA franc (XAF). The sourcing and shipping steps from China are similar, but the customs rules differ.
What is the cheapest way to ship from China to West Africa?+
Sea freight in a shared (LCL) or full (FCL) container is almost always cheaper per kilogram than air freight, but it is slower. Air freight suits urgent, high-value or low-volume orders. The right choice depends on your margin, deadline and cargo, so compare a live quote for both before you commit.
How do I pay a Chinese supplier from West Africa legally?+
Use legal, documented channels: open the import paperwork your country requires, keep a signed proforma invoice and contract, and pay the supplier’s verified company account. Do not try to work around your central bank or foreign-exchange rules. A coordinator like Rayex can structure compliant supplier payments on your behalf.
Can Rayex deliver to my country?+
Rayex is based in Nigeria with teams in Guangzhou and Lagos and supports importers across West Africa. We handle sourcing, factory inspection, supplier payments and freight from China. Confirmed delivery and payment coverage starts with Nigeria, so check your specific country with our team before you plan.
Sources
Official sources, last checked October 8, 2026. Rules, rates and timelines change, so confirm against the source before you act.
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