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The short answer
Of the three, egusi is the most tightly controlled: Great Britain lists Nigerian egusi (melon seeds) for increased checks for aflatoxins at a 50% rate, and the FDA has Nigerian melon seeds on its mycotoxin import alert. Garri and yam flour face general food controls and targeted sampling rather than a Nigeria-specific listing on the pages checked. Refusals usually come from aflatoxin results, missing certificates, the wrong border post or non-compliant labels.
Garri, elubo (yam flour) and egusi fill the shelves of African grocers from Peckham to Houston. They look like simple dry goods, but border agencies treat them differently, and a commercial importer who assumes they are all the same can lose a whole container. This guide sets out what is checked, by whom, and why consignments get stopped. It covers commercial imports, not food in a traveller's suitcase.
Egusi: a named high-risk food
Great Britain
The Food Standards Agency's list of foodstuffs with GB import restrictions (updated 10 July 2026) places Nigerian watermelon seeds, which include egusi, and products derived from them under increased official controls for aflatoxins. The underlying legislation, assimilated Regulation 2019/1793 as amended from 1 January 2026, sets the check frequency at 50% of consignments. Compound foods containing more than 20% of a listed product can also be caught where the listing is for aflatoxin.
- The consignment must enter through a border control post designated for that product.
- The importer pre-notifies the post on IPAFFS at least one working day before arrival.
- It must travel with an official certificate and laboratory analysis from Nigeria; GOV.UK says lab analyses are valid for six months and the original certificate travels with the goods.
- Goods are held at the post until checks are complete, and a fee is payable for the checks.
Separately, the UK National Monitoring Plan for 2026/27 marks melon seeds (egusi) and ogbono as high priority for aflatoxin sampling, so egusi can also be sampled inland after it is on sale.
United States
FDA Import Alert 23-14 (published 22 June 2026) lists Nigerian melon seeds on its "red list" for aflatoxins, first added in April 2000, with a current entry dated 28 March 2022. Products on the red list can be detained without physical examination. To get a shipment released, the importer submits lab results on a representative sample from a laboratory accredited under the FDA's LAAF programme. A supplier that wants to come off the list petitions the FDA showing the problem is resolved; the alert sets no fixed number of clean shipments.
Garri and yam flour
Neither garri nor yam flour appeared in a Nigeria-specific row of the GB restrictions list when we checked, and the UK National Monitoring Plan does not list them for Nigeria, although it lists fufu flour for Sudan dyes (with Ghana as the named origin) and dried bean flour from Nigeria for pesticide residues. In practice they face the general rules for food imports:
- English labelling with the name of the food, ingredients, net quantity, date mark and the name and address of the responsible business; see labelling Nigerian food for sale abroad.
- In the US, FDA registration of the Nigerian facility and prior notice before the shipment arrives, with the general import alerts on Salmonella, filth and pesticides covering any product.
- On the Nigerian side, NAFDAC's export guideline lists a cyanogenic glycoside test for garri among the analyses for an export certificate. Cassava contains these compounds naturally, and proper processing reduces them; keep the result with your documents.
Common reasons consignments are refused
| Reason | Where it bites | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Aflatoxin above the limit | Egusi, ogbono, groundnut products | Lot-specific lab test before shipping; dry and store well |
| Missing official certificate or lab report | Egusi into GB | Check the GB list before every order |
| Wrong entry point | GB high-risk foods arriving at a port without a suitable post | Confirm the border control post with your forwarder |
| No pre-notification | GB (IPAFFS) and US (prior notice) | Your customs agent files before arrival |
| Supplier on an import alert | US | Check the FDA country page before choosing a supplier |
| Labelling faults | All markets | Approve label artwork before printing |
| Pest or foreign matter | All markets | Clean, sealed packaging; NAQS inspection |
What to check first
- Look up the product on the destination's current list: the FSA's GB restrictions list, or the FDA's Nigeria import alerts page.
- Ask the supplier for a certificate of analysis for the lot you are buying, from a recognised lab; for the US, plan for LAAF-accredited testing if detained.
- Confirm the supplier has NAFDAC and NAQS export documents; see NAQS phytosanitary certificates.
- Agree in the contract who bears the cost if a lot is refused or destroyed.
- Ship a small first order before committing to a full container.
Where Pryme fits
Holding a supplier payment until certificates are in hand is easier when you control timing and currency. A Pryme Business Account holds NGN, USD, GBP and EUR; send the balance once lab results arrive, and Swap shows the rate and the fee before you approve. Outside Nigeria, Pryme's activities are carried out through regulated partners.
Questions people ask
Why is egusi checked at the UK border?
Nigerian egusi (watermelon seeds) is on the GB list of foods under increased official controls for aflatoxins, with checks on 50% of consignments at a designated border control post.
Can I import Nigerian egusi to the US?
Yes, but Nigerian melon seeds are on the FDA's mycotoxin import alert red list, so shipments can be detained without examination and released only with acceptable LAAF-accredited lab results.
Is garri restricted in the UK?
Garri did not appear in a Nigeria-specific row of the GB restrictions list when checked in October 2026. General food law, labelling and possible sampling still apply.
What is aflatoxin?
A toxin produced by moulds that can grow on seeds and nuts stored warm and damp. It is the most common reason Nigerian melon seed and groundnut products are stopped abroad.
Sources
- FSA on GOV.UK: Foodstuffs with GB import restrictions (updated 10 Jul 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: UK National Monitoring Plan sampling priorities for imported foods 2026/27 (updated 9 Sep 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Importing live animals, animal products and HRFNAO from non-EU countries (updated 28 Jan 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- FDA: Import Alert 23-14, mycotoxins (published 22 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- FDA: Import alerts by country, Nigeria (posted 21 Oct 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- NAFDAC: Guideline for export of regulated products (2018) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.