Trade between China and Nigeria is very frequent, and many companies and individuals need to ship goods from China to Nigeria. However, different modes of transportation will affect the time from China to Nigeria, especially the difference between sea and air transportation. So how long does it take to ship from China to Nigeria by sea and air?

How to Import from China to Nigeria

Shipping time from China to Nigeria by sea

Sea freight is one of the most common international transportation methods, especially for bulk goods or goods with low timeliness requirements, such as machinery and equipment, tires, excavators, etc. From major ports in China (such as Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Guangzhou) to major ports in Nigeria (such as Lagos, Apapa, Tinocan), sea freight usually takes about 30-50 days, depending on the following factors:

Origin City	Destination Port	Transit time
Shanghai	Lagos	32 to 38 days
Shanghai	Tincan	32 to 39 days
Shanghai	Apapa	33 to 39 days
Guangzhou	Lagos	32 to 41 days
Guangzhou	Tincan	35 to 43 days
Guangzhou	Apapa	33 to 40 days
Shenzhen	Lagos	34 to 42 days
Shenzhen	Tincan	30 to 40 days
Shenzhen	Apapa	31 to 42 days
Xiamen	Lagos	31 to 43 days
Xiamen	Tincan	30 to 42 days
Xiamen	Apapa	33 to 42 days

Route selection: Direct routes have shorter shipping times, while routes that require transit may add extra time.

Customs clearance and port congestion: Major ports in Nigeria are sometimes congested, and customs clearance takes a long time, which will also extend the overall transportation time.

Seasonal factors: Peak seasons (such as Chinese New Year, Black Friday shopping season, etc.) may cause goods to queue up for loading, increasing transportation time.

Weather conditions: Bad weather such as typhoons and storms may affect the ship’s schedule and cause shipping delays.

Air freight time from China to Nigeria

Air freight is the fastest international transportation method, suitable for goods with high timeliness requirements. Air freight usually takes 3-10 days from major airports in China (such as Beijing Capital Airport, Shanghai Pudong Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun Airport) to major airports in Nigeria (such as Murtala Muhammed International Airport).

Departure Airport	Arrival Airport	Transport time (days)
Beijing Capital	Murtala Muhammed	3-7 days
Shanghai Pudong	Murtala Muhammed	3-6 days
Guangzhou Baiyun	Murtala Muhammed	3-7 days
Shenzhen Baoan	Murtala Muhammed	4-7 days
Beijing Capital	Nnamdi Azikiwe	4-6 days
Shanghai Pudong	Nnamdi Azikiwe	3-7 days
Guangzhou Baiyun	Nnamdi Azikiwe	3-7 days
Shenzhen Baoan	Nnamdi Azikiwe	4-6 days

Factors affecting air freight time from China to Nigeria include:

Direct flight or transit: Direct flights usually only take 3-7 days, but if you need to transit in the Middle East (Dubai) or Europe (Germany, France), it may take 5-10 days.

Cargo type and security inspection: Dangerous goods, sensitive goods, etc. may require additional inspection time, extending the air freight time.

Flight frequency: Different airlines offer different flight frequencies. If there are fewer flights, you may have to wait longer.

If you want to know the shipping time to other countries in Africa, you can read:

Factors affecting shipping time from China to Nigeria

What factors can affect the shipping time of your goods from China to Nigeria? This can cause delays. Understanding these factors is key to planning and ensuring timely delivery.

• Customs clearance efficiency: China and Nigeria have different customs policies and inspection requirements, and customs clearance time may vary depending on factors such as the type of goods, completeness of declaration materials, etc.
• Weather conditions: Bad weather may delay sea and air shipments.
• Port congestion: Busy ports slow down the processing of goods.
• Nature of goods: Different types of goods have different requirements for shipping time. For example, fragile goods, liquids, or dangerous goods require longer processing and shipping time because they require more stringent security checks and special packaging requirements.

Shipping prices are affected by many factors, including mode of transport, type of goods, weight and volume. The following are the sea and air freight costs from China to Nigeria:

Sea freight costs: usually charged by container, commonly used are 20-foot containers and 40-foot containers. Prices will be affected by factors such as season, oil prices, and supply and demand of routes.
Full container load (FCL): a 20-foot container is about US$1,800-3,500 and a 40-foot container is about US$2,200-4,800
Less than container load (LCL): charged by volume or weight, about US$80-150/cubic meter

Air freight costs: charged by weight, usually the actual weight or volume weight of the goods. There are two different prices for shipping methods.
General cargo: about US$4-8/kg
Urgent: about US$8-12/kg

Basenton Logistics is a professional international freight forwarding company, providing efficient and safe transportation services for customers from China to Nigeria. We provide a full range of logistics solutions such as sea freight, air freight, door-to-door delivery, customs clearance agent, etc. to ensure that your goods are delivered to Nigeria smoothly.

Sea freight: Provide LCL and FCL services to optimize transportation routes and save costs.

Air freight: Cooperate with multiple airlines to provide fast and safe transportation solutions.

Customs clearance service: Help customers handle customs clearance procedures and reduce delays.

Door-to-door service: Deliver directly from Chinese factories/warehouses to Nigerian customers.

Case sharing:

If you need shipping from China to Nigeria, please contact our professional team to get a detailed quotation and transportation plan. Basenton Logistics is committed to providing customers with efficient and reliable international logistics services!