Export Guidelines
& What You Can Ship.
Everything you need to know before shipping — allowed items, prohibited goods, special packaging requirements, and per-service rules.
Please check the Customer Templates for how to respond to customers, and follow the guidelines below before accepting any shipment. Open Customer Templates →
Cost-effective shipping from Nigeria to the United States and the United Kingdom. Ideal for local products, documents, and personal items.
✅ What You Can Ship
- Nigerian textiles & fabricsAnkara, Aso-oke, etc.
- Documents and books
- Handicrafts and artNon-fragile only
- Dried & packaged foodsGrains, beans, spices, dry pepper, ogbono, egusi, crayfish, prawns, dried fish
- Sealed liquidsVegetable oil, palm oil, coconut oil, castor oil
- Snails (dried/oven-dried)Max 2kg · snail classification form required
- Dried fishMax 10kg per shipment
- Goat meat (dried)Max 2kg per shipment
- Palm oil (UK only)Max 3L container, sealed · max 25kg
- Catfish (UK only)Must be headless
- Fish (US)Must be vacuum-sealed · max 10kg
- Kilishi, PonmoUK only
- CreamNon-bleaching, non-lightening only
🚫 Prohibited Items
- Perishable food items
- Hazardous materials, chemicals, or powders
- Animal skins or parts
- Currency and negotiable instruments
- Cigarettes, alcohol, drugs
- Sharp objects and weapons
- Dairy products
- Bleaching & lightening creams and oils
- Fake/counterfeit designer items
- Lithium batteries
- Pressurized cans
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Ewedu seeds
Fast, reliable express shipping via DHL to almost any country worldwide. Best for electronics and sensitive goods.
✅ Allowed (with conditions)
- PhonesMax 2 per shipment (waybill)
- Dried fishMax 0.5kg per shipment
- Herbal medicineValid phytosanitary/quarantine certificate required
- MedicationMost countries (excl. Canada/US) with doctor's prescription
- Skincare to SpainReceiver must provide sanitary import license
- CreamNon-bleaching, non-lightening only
🚫 Prohibited Items
- Alcoholic beverages, perfumes, flammable liquids
- Ammunition, firearms, explosives
- Bank bills, currency, gold, precious stones
- Loose batteries and power banks
- Cooked meals, raw meat, snails, fruits & vegetables
- Fireworks, hazardous waste, radioactive materials
- Grains, pasta, and noodles
- Live animals or pets
- Milk, dairy products, palm oil
- Bleaching & lightening creams
- Ewedu seeds
- Illegal items
Express shipping via FedEx for general goods, herbs, and food items worldwide.
✅ Allowed (with conditions)
- Dried herbs
- Liquid herbs
- General food items
- MedicationOver-the-counter (OTC) only; valid prescription required
- Sunglasses
- CreamNon-bleaching, non-lightening only
🚫 Prohibited Items
- Alcoholic beverages, perfumes, flammable liquids
- Ammunition, firearms, explosives
- Bank bills, currency, gold, precious stones
- Loose batteries and power banks
- Cooked meals, raw meat, snails, fruits & vegetables
- Fireworks, hazardous waste, radioactive materials
- Grains, pasta, and noodles
- Live animals or pets
- Milk, dairy products, palm oil
- Bleaching & lightening creams
- Ginger
- Ewedu seeds
- Illegal items
Economical sea freight from Lagos to the UK. Rate covers shipping, clearance and doorstep delivery. Minimum 50kg, 6–8 weeks from seaport departure.
Rate
£3.00/kg
Minimum
50kg
Timeline
6–8 weeks
VAT
7.5%
Insurance is optional but strongly recommended: £6 for every £500 declared value (e.g. £2,000 declared → £24 insurance). No markup is added to insurance. All manufactured products require a manufacturer's declaration; noodles must be purchased through us so the declaration can be handled.
🚫 Prohibited Items
- Meat & meat products
- Fish & fish products
- Chicken products
- Dairy products
- Alcoholic drinks
- All types of melon
- Ungrounded ogbono
- Fanta & orange drinks
- Honey
- Milo & Bournvita
- Dried leaves
- Products containing dairy/honey/egg/coconut
- Cigarettes
- Fruits
- Milk & milk drinks
- Fake designer goods
- Calabash chalk
- All types of beans
- Bleaching & lightening creams
- Ewedu seeds
⚠️ Packaging Notes
- Packaging may attract additional charges.
- Demurrage on the container may attract additional charges.
- Palm oil must not be filled to the brim — pack in King's kegs with a compulsory inner cover.
- Always request the customer's complete item list first.
Cost-effective shipping from Nigeria to Ireland. Follow the same M&P Steady allowed/prohibited item rules, with destination-specific customs checks.
10–20kg
₦12,532/kg
20kg+
₦10,217/kg
Customs fees may apply to European shipments depending on declared value. For Ireland, shipments with a declared value above ₦200,000 may attract customs charges; below that threshold, customs may not apply. Staff should not promise a customer that customs will definitely be zero unless confirmed for the particular shipment.
Europe — Shipping Options
We ship from Lagos to Europe with two options: Standard Air Cargo (2–3 weeks) and Express Cargo (7–10 working days). Both have a 10kg minimum. Confirm your item list with our representative before shipping.
Countries we ship to: Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Austria, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Ireland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Malta, Hungary, Northern Cyprus, Bulgaria, Finland.
Cost-effective air cargo from Lagos to Europe. 2–3 weeks after the shipment departs from the airport. Minimum 10kg.
Minimum
10kg
Rate
₦9,000/kg
Clearance
€6.50/kg
₦9,000/kg is paid before shipment. €6.50/kg clearance & postage is paid in euros. 2kg is added to your cargo weight as required by the airline for packaging. 7.5% VAT applies to every shipment. Import duties may be charged by European countries at the discretion of customs officers.
✅ Allowed (with conditions)
- MelonMust be blended before shipping
- CrayfishMust be blended before shipping
🚫 Prohibited Items
- Whole fish
- Snails
- Beans
- Animal skin
- Locust beans
- Honey
- Medications
- Bleaching & lightening creams
- Ewedu seeds
Faster express shipping to Europe. 7–10 working days. Minimum 10kg.
Minimum
10kg
Rate
₦21,000/kg
Timeline
7–10 days
7.5% VAT applies to every shipment. Import duties may be charged by European countries at the discretion of customs officers.
✅ Items Accepted
- Snails
- Fish
- Meat
- Palm oil (red oil)1 litre maximum only
- Ogbono
- Egusi
- Stock fish
- Honey
- Beans
- Garri
- Dry goat meat
- Crayfish
- Spices
🚫 Prohibited Items
- Yam
- Dry leaves
- Liquids (beyond the palm oil allowance)
- Medications
- Ewedu seeds
United States — Shipping Options
US customers have multiple shipping options: M&P Saver (10kg+), DHL Express USA (10–49kg; below 10kg ships via M&P Swift Priority / DHL), USA Air Cargo (actual weight), and FedEx (M&P Sure Express). Each has different weight minimums, timelines, and item rules.
Economical option for shipments of at least 10kg. 10–15 business days. VAT is already included — do not add another 7.5%. No additional customs fee to the customer.
Minimum
10kg
Rate
₦17,825/kg
Timeline
10–15 days
Dimensional weight applies. Follow the M&P Value Export/Saver allowed and prohibited item guidelines. Always request the complete item list before accepting the shipment.
✅ What You Can Ship
- Nigerian textiles & fabricsAnkara, Aso-oke, etc.
- Documents and books
- Handicrafts and artNon-fragile only
- Dried & packaged foodsGrains, beans, spices, dry pepper, ogbono, egusi, crayfish, prawns, dried fish
- Sealed liquidsVegetable oil, coconut oil, castor oil
- SnailsMin 10kg (below 10kg charged at 10kg) · ₦18,825/kg · classification form required
- Dried fishMax 10kg per shipment
- Dried goat meatMax 2kg per shipment
- FishVacuum-sealed · max 10kg
- CreamNon-bleaching, non-lightening only
🚫 US Consolidation — Prohibited Items
- Meat / Beef / Chicken / Kilishi / Ponmo
- Milk or any items made from milk
- Maggi chicken/beef (any flavour with chicken or beef)
- Alcoholic drinks
- Yam or any form of tuber
- Ungrinded seeds or roots
- Sniper or poison
- Milo or any beverage
- Chemical
- Gun of any kind
- Gadgets or any item with inbuilt battery (phone, laptop, powerbank)
- Money
- Fake luxurious brands
- Rice, millet, maize, ofada
- Fresh vegetable / fruit
- Flammable items (spray, perfume, insecticides, pesticides, air freshener spray)
- Wet or frozen food
- Ungrinded pepper
- Camphor
- Sharp objects (blade, scissor, knife)
- Sausage / Gala
- Herbs with sticks or roots
- Any item in glass / breakable bottle
- Broom
- Gold / silver / bronze jewellery
- Noodles
- Can food (sardine, geisha, corned beef)
- Bleaching cream
- Medicine
- Super glue
Fast express shipping to the United States. 5–7 working days. These per-kg rates apply ONLY to the USA — never use them for another country. Below 10kg uses M&P Swift Priority.
10–20kg
₦23,500/kg
21–49kg
₦22,500/kg
Dimensional weight applies. Import duties/customs may apply. Additional charges: 7.5% VAT and ₦250 food/item label.
US All States Delivery Fee
- 10–15kg$40
- 16–20kg$55
- 21–30kg$80
- 31–49kg$150
California / Florida / DC / LA
- 10–15kg$60
- 16–20kg$80
- 21–30kg$120
- 31–49kg$200
Internal staff note: the USD delivery fees are for internal calculation only. Always convert to NGN at the current exchange rate before quoting the customer — never quote in USD. Cross-check that the USD fee is still current at quote time; never reuse an old NGN conversion.
✅ Allowed (with conditions)
- PhonesMax 2 per shipment/waybill
- Dried fishMax 0.5kg per shipment
- Herbal medicinePhytosanitary/quarantine certificate required
- Skincare to SpainReceiver must provide sanitary import license
- CreamNon-bleaching, non-lightening only
Medication is NOT accepted for USA shipments under this DHL service.
🚫 Prohibited Items
- Alcoholic beverages, perfumes, flammable liquids
- Ammunition, firearms, explosives
- Bank bills, currency, gold, precious stones
- Loose batteries and power banks
- Cooked meals, raw meat, snails, fruits & vegetables
- Fireworks, hazardous waste, radioactive materials
- Grains, pasta, and noodles
- Live animals or pets
- Milk, dairy products, palm oil
- Bleaching & lightening creams
- Ewedu seeds
- Illegal items
Nigeria → USA doorstep, any US state. Useful when customers want to avoid dimensional-weight pricing. Minimum 5kg, 2–3 weeks from airport departure.
Minimum
5kg
Timeline
2–3 weeks
VAT
7.5%
Label
₦250
| Tier | Rate / kg | Delivery (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 5–10kg | ₦11,000/kg | $50 flat |
| 11–100kg | ₦10,500/kg | $5/kg |
| 101–200kg | ₦9,000/kg | $4.75/kg |
| Above 200kg | ₦8,500/kg | $4.50/kg |
No carton charge for this service. USD delivery fees are converted to NGN at the current exchange rate before quoting — never quote the customer in USD.
✅ What You Can Ship
- Dried fish (including stockfish)
- CreamNon-bleaching, non-lightening only
- General non-prohibited goods
🚫 Prohibited Items
- Medications
- Catfish (fresh)
- Bleaching & lightening creams
- Ewedu seeds
Express shipping via FedEx to the United States. FedEx does not have one fixed rate — always get the exact weight, destination and item list, then check the current rate.
Medication: only over-the-counter (OTC) medications are accepted, and a valid prescription is required. Ginger is NOT allowed for FedEx.
✅ Allowed (with conditions)
- Dried herbs
- Liquid herbs
- General food items
- MedicationOTC only; valid prescription required
- Sunglasses
- CreamNon-bleaching, non-lightening only
🚫 Prohibited Items
- GingerFedEx-specific
- Alcoholic beverages, perfumes, flammable liquids
- Ammunition, firearms, explosives
- Bank bills, currency, gold, precious stones
- Loose batteries and power banks
- Cooked meals, raw meat, snails, fruits & vegetables
- Fireworks, hazardous waste, radioactive materials
- Grains, pasta, and noodles
- Live animals or pets
- Milk, dairy products, palm oil
- Bleaching & lightening creams
- Ewedu seeds
- Illegal items
Other International Destinations
For destinations outside the specific M&P UK, Ireland and USA routes, customers can ship through DHL Express or FedEx Express. Obtain the exact weight, destination and item list, then check the current applicable rate.
Canada only has DHL Express (normal), M&P Swift (DHL), and FedEx (M&P Sure Express). M&P Saver and USA Air Cargo are US-only and are not available for Canada.
For Canada, always get the exact weight, destination and item list, then check the current DHL or FedEx rate. M&P Swift (DHL) handles lighter / express shipments.
The ₦23,500/kg and ₦22,500/kg rates apply ONLY to the United States. Never use those rates for another country.
For all other international destinations, obtain the exact weight, destination country/city, and complete item list — then check the current DHL Express rate on the website before quoting.
✅ Allowed (with conditions)
- PhonesMax 2 per shipment/waybill
- Dried fishMax 0.5kg per shipment
- Herbal medicinePhytosanitary/quarantine certificate required
- MedicationMost countries excl. Canada/USA; doctor's prescription
- Skincare to SpainReceiver must provide sanitary import license
- CreamNon-bleaching, non-lightening only
🚫 Prohibited Items
- Alcoholic beverages, perfumes, flammable liquids
- Ammunition, firearms, explosives
- Bank bills, currency, gold, precious stones
- Loose batteries and power banks
- Cooked meals, raw meat, snails, fruits & vegetables
- Fireworks, hazardous waste, radioactive materials
- Grains, pasta, and noodles
- Live animals or pets
- Milk, dairy products, palm oil
- Bleaching & lightening creams
- Ginger
- Ewedu seeds
- Illegal items
FedEx does not have one fixed rate for every destination. Always obtain the exact weight, destination and item list before quoting.
✅ Allowed (with conditions)
- Dried herbs
- Liquid herbs
- General food items
- MedicationOver-the-counter (OTC) only; valid prescription required
- Sunglasses
- CreamNon-bleaching, non-lightening only
🚫 Prohibited Items
- Alcoholic beverages, perfumes, flammable liquids
- Ammunition, firearms, explosives
- Bank bills, currency, gold, precious stones
- Loose batteries and power banks
- Cooked meals, raw meat, snails, fruits & vegetables
- Fireworks, hazardous waste, radioactive materials
- Grains, pasta, and noodles
- Live animals or pets
- Milk, dairy products, palm oil
- Bleaching & lightening creams
- Ewedu seeds
- Illegal items
Important Staff Rules
- 1Always start with the destination. This determines which services should be offered.
- 2UK: Offer M&P Steady or UK Sea Cargo. 7.5% VAT applies to Sea Cargo only, not M&P Steady.
- 3Ireland: Use M&P Steady Ireland rates. European customs may apply; flag declared values above ₦200,000 for possible customs charges.
- 4USA: Offer M&P Saver, DHL Express or USA Air Cargo. M&P Saver already includes VAT and has no additional customer customs fee. USA Air Cargo has 7.5% VAT.
- 5DHL USA rates are USA-only. Never use the ₦23,500/₦22,500 rates for another country.
- 6DHL below 10kg or DHL to another country: get the exact weight and destination and check the website.
- 7FedEx: only over-the-counter medications with a valid prescription are accepted; ginger is not allowed. Always get the exact weight and destination before quoting.
- 8Always get the complete item list before confirming that a shipment can be accepted.
- 9USD delivery charges: never give customers the USD amount. Convert to NGN at the current rate at quote time.
- 10Never reuse an old USD-to-NGN conversion. Exchange rates and underlying USD fees may both change.
- 11USA Air Cargo uses actual weight — no dimensional-weight calculation.
- 12M&P Saver and DHL Express use dimensional weight where applicable. Make this clear before customers commit.
- 13VAT is service-specific. Do not automatically add 7.5% to every M&P shipment.
- 14Customs/import charges are destination- and service-specific. Never promise zero customs unless the service explicitly waives it (e.g. M&P Saver).
- 15Rates can change. Always use the most recent M&P rate guide / current carrier pricing when preparing a quote.
Item Catalog & Carrier Matrix
Search the full catalog of shippable items and see which carriers (M&P Steady, DHL, FedEx) accept each category. Click any category to expand its item list with HS codes.
Full catalog of shippable items and which carriers accept each category.
Carrier assignments reflect general guidelines. Some items may have weight limits, country restrictions, or require special documentation. Always verify with the Export Guidelines above before booking.
Country-Specific Restrictions
United States
- No ceramic items (e.g., tableware)
- Fish/animal derivatives: max 10kg
- Medication supply limit: 90 days (to avoid customs issues)
Canada
- Dried herbs: prohibited
- Medication: only for visitors (not citizens) — passport data page required
- Medication supply limit: 90 days
United Kingdom
- Fish shipments allowed (pack in ziplock bags)
- Palm oil: max 3L container, sealed, max 25kg
- Catfish must be headless
- Snails, Kilishi, Ponmo: UK only
Italy
- Hair products require a fumigation certificate (₦44,000)
Spain
- Skincare: receiver must provide a sanitary import license
Portugal & Sweden
- Medication: prohibited
India
- Powdered items cannot be shipped
Mexico
- Powdered items only allowed if consignee has a registered importer's permit
Europe (outside UK)
- Declared value exceeding ₦200,000 is subject to import duty payment
Special Packaging Requirements
Palm Oil (UK only)
Max 3-litre container. Must be sealed around the cover. Max 25kg per order.
Catfish
Must be headless before acceptance.
Fish (UK)
Pack in ziplock bags. UK only — other parts of Europe excluded.
Fish (US)
Must be vacuum-sealed. Max 10kg per order.
Snails (Dried/Oven-Dried)
Max 2kg. A snail classification form is required.
Goat Meat (Dried)
Max 2kg per shipment.
Dried Fish
Express: max 0.5kg. Value Export: max 10kg.
Ponmo & Kilishi
UK shipments only. Proforma invoice must accompany the package to the hub.
Delivery Timelines (M&P Steady)
Zone 1
3–5 days
working days
Zone 2
5–7 days
working days
Zone 3
5–7 days
working days
Zone 4
5–7 days
working days
Zone 5
5–7 days
working days
M&P Steady offers import duty-free services. Shipments to Europe (outside the UK) that exceed a declared value of ₦200,000 will be responsible for payment of import duty.