Africa is our most active region, and the rules differ sharply by country. Below is the practical picture for the four markets we ship to most. For all African destinations we strongly recommend booking pre-shipment inspection early — several markets require it before loading.
Nigeria (Lagos — Apapa / Tin Can Island)
| Item | What applies |
|---|---|
| Steering side | Left-hand drive only |
| Age limit | Used vehicles up to ~10 years (enforced at clearance; check the current threshold with your agent) |
| Certificates | SONCAP certificate (initiated before arrival), Form M, PAAR, VIN valuation |
| Taxes | Duty ~35% + levies + 7.5% VAT — commonly 70–90% of CIF in total. Budget before you buy |
| Transit | 5–7 weeks from China (indicative) |
Kenya (Mombasa)
| Item | What applies |
|---|---|
| Steering side | Right-hand drive only — LHD vehicles are prohibited and will be rejected at Mombasa. Our Kenya-bound offers are therefore limited to RHD-eligible categories (pickups, some commercial units) — ask us what is available |
| Age limit | Up to 8 years from first registration (in 2026: first registered 2019 or later) |
| Inspection | QISJ/JEVIC or equivalent pre-shipment roadworthiness inspection required — skipping it adds a 5% KEBS surcharge |
| Taxes | Duty 25–35% + excise 20–35% by engine size (EVs pay 10% excise) + VAT 16% + IDF ~2.5% + RDL 2%, assessed on KRA’s CRSP valuation — not your purchase price |
| Transit | 4–6 weeks from China (indicative) |
Tanzania (Dar es Salaam)
| Item | What applies |
|---|---|
| Steering side | Right-hand drive preferred |
| Age limit | No hard ban; vehicles under 8 years get the best tax treatment, older units attract higher duty |
| Taxes | 25% duty + VAT on CIF; estimate with the TRA UMVVS tool before ordering |
| Transit | 4–6 weeks (indicative) |
Algeria (Algiers and other ports)
| Item | What applies |
|---|---|
| Commercial used-car imports | Prohibited. Algeria does not allow bulk commercial imports of used passenger cars. We ship Algeria-bound stock as new vehicles to licensed local importers only |
| New vehicle definition | Manufactured within the last 12 months, under ~100 km, factory LHD — our 2026-production stock qualifies by age; mileage is zero on our new cars |
| Powertrain rules | Diesel passenger cars are banned from commercial import. Petrol ≤1800cc gets a reduced consumption tax; pure EVs are exempt. Labels and manuals must be French/Arabic |
| Personal imports | Resident individuals may import one used car up to 3 years old every 3 years for personal use — a narrow route we can support document-wise |
| Mandatory certificates | COC (IANOR conformity, via SGS/BV/Intertek with pre-shipment inspection — allow 10–15 working days) and ECTN/BSC for all sea shipments |
Important: import rules, duties and taxes change frequently and are enforced by your local customs authority. The figures below are indicative planning information (last reviewed October 2026) — always confirm the current requirements with a licensed customs broker in your country before you order. We supply a complete, accurate export document set for clearance.
Documents we provide
Proforma InvoiceCertificate of OriginBill of LadingCommercial InvoicePacking ListInsurance CertificateExport Licence (China)
Payment
20% deposit by T/T, balance before shipment. For first-time African buyers we recommend container shipping with consolidated loading and full marine insurance — we handle both.
Shipping to Africa?
Send us the models you need — we reply within 24 hours with stock, FOB pricing and a shipping plan.
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