Every African country clears imports differently, but three systems cover most UK to Africa cargo. Nigeria uses Form M plus PAAR and SONCAP. Ghana clears through ICUMS with a UCR. Most of Francophone West and Central Africa require an ECTN or BSC cargo tracking note obtained in the UK before the ship sails. Rolats prepares all of it.
Why customs is where shipments go wrong
Most delays and surprise charges at the African end are not about the shipping itself. They come from paperwork raised, or missed, at origin. A missing Form M, an unvalidated ECTN, or a wrong HS code can hold cargo for weeks and trigger penalties. Because Rolats is HMRC Customs Authorised and EORI registered, we raise the right documents in the UK before your cargo leaves.
The three customs systems we handle
Most UK to Africa cargo clears through one of three systems, with East and Southern Africa handled per country.
- Nigeria: Form M to PAAR to SONCAP/NAFDAC. A bank-opened declaration, a pre-arrival assessment, then product certificates.
- Ghana: ICUMS (UNIPASS) plus a UCR. A single-window declaration with classification and valuation online.
- Francophone West and Central Africa: ECTN, BSC, BESC or FERI. A cargo tracking note validated before the vessel arrives.
- East and Southern Africa: handled per country, for example IDF or TANCIS. See each country page.
What you always need (UK to Africa)
Whatever the destination, a core document set applies, and we confirm exactly which extras you need before you ship.
- Commercial or proforma invoice
- Packing list
- Bill of lading or air waybill
- Recipient ID and destination details
- For regulated goods, the relevant certificate (SONCAP, NAFDAC or the local standards body)
Read the detail
Each system has its own dedicated guide so you can prepare correctly for your corridor.
- Nigeria customs and duty: Form M, PAAR, SONCAP, import duty and VAT.
- Ghana customs and ICUMS: the single window, the UCR and the ECOWAS tariff.
- ECTN/BSC tracking note: which countries require it and why it must be done in the UK.
How Rolats removes the risk
Shipping from our Dagenham depot, we prepare and lodge the origin documents and work with clearing agents at destination so cargo is not held. Our pricing is all-in GBP with no charges at the African end: air at £5.90 per kg plus a £20 handling fee, sea from £70 per bag, and car and container shipping priced on application. We have done this since 2007.