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The short answer
High-risk foods from Nigeria, such as egusi and sesame seeds, and products of animal origin such as fish must be pre-notified to the border control post on IPAFFS at least one working day before they are expected to arrive. Documents, including the official certificate and lab results where required, must be uploaded before you submit the notification.
IPAFFS is the Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System, the online service that tells border authorities in Great Britain what is coming. For many Nigerian foods, a consignment without a notification is a consignment that will not be released. It is also the step new importers most often leave to the last minute.
Which Nigerian imports need it
GOV.UK says importers and import agents must use IPAFFS to notify authorities before live animals, germinal products, animal by-products, products of animal origin and high-risk food and feed of non-animal origin arrive. For Nigeria that typically means:
| Product | Why it is notified |
|---|---|
| Egusi seeds and derived products | High-risk, aflatoxins, Annex II of assimilated Regulation 2019/1793 |
| Sesame seeds | High-risk, Salmonella, Annex I |
| Fishery products, such as dried or smoked fish | Product of animal origin; Nigeria is on Defra's fishery list |
| Dried beans | Not applicable: entry is suspended (Annex IIa) |
Products that are not animal products and not on the high-risk lists generally go through the normal customs declaration without an IPAFFS notification. Check each product against the FSA restrictions list; see the rules for importing Nigerian foodstuff.
Timing: one working day
GOV.UK's non-EU import guidance says you must notify the border control post at least one working day before your goods are expected to arrive at the point of entry. The same timing applies to products of animal origin and to high-risk food of non-animal origin. The guidance gives no separate timing for air and sea.
Worked example (illustrative)
Example only. An egusi consignment leaves Lagos on a Thursday evening flight and is due at Heathrow on Friday morning. One working day before Friday is Thursday, so the notification should be submitted by Thursday. If the flight lands on a Monday, Friday is the last working day before arrival. Bank holidays are not working days, so a consignment due the Tuesday after a bank holiday Monday needs notifying by the Friday before.
Air freight moves quickly, so the safest habit is to notify as soon as the airway bill is issued, not on the day of the flight.
Documents to upload first
GOV.UK's IPAFFS page says you must upload the documents to the import notification before you submit it. The non-EU guidance says high-risk food of non-animal origin needs official certificates, laboratory analyses and commercial documents, and medium and high-risk products of animal origin need a health certificate. In practice, ask your Nigerian exporter for:
- The official certificate issued in Nigeria for the consignment
- The laboratory analysis results, for example aflatoxin tests on egusi
- The commercial invoice and packing list
- The airway bill or bill of lading
Choosing the border control post
The notification goes to a specific border control post, and the FSA says you must check that the post is designated for the product. Heathrow has more than one post with different designations; see border control checks at Heathrow. At the post, officials record checks on IPAFFS and issue a validated common health entry document (CHED). GOV.UK says you pay a fee for border checks; the post you use sets out its charges.
If something changes after you submit
Flights from Lagos are sometimes rebooked, and consignments can be split. If the arrival date, the airport or the quantity changes, the notification needs to match what actually arrives at the border control post. GOV.UK's IPAFFS page no longer carries the old instruction about calling a border control post to make changes, so check the current IPAFFS help for amending or replacing a notification, and tell the post directly if a consignment will arrive somewhere other than notified.
Keep the notification reference, the CHED once validated, and the lab report together. If the consignment is sampled, results are recorded against that reference, and you will need them if the goods are held or you want to show a buyer the consignment passed.
Getting access
- Sign in to IPAFFS; existing Defra service users can register for more services.
- Agents register with their own business details and should not select "intermediaries".
- Create the notification with product, commodity code, origin, weight and the border control post.
- Upload the documents, then submit at least one working day ahead.
- Give the reference to your freight forwarder and customs agent.
Where Pryme fits
Paying the exporter on time helps the certificate and lab report reach you before the flight. A Pryme Business Account lets you pay a Nigerian supplier in naira using Send, and the Chief of Staff agent can keep shipment deadlines on a checklist for your team.
Questions people ask
How many days before arrival must I notify IPAFFS?
GOV.UK says at least one working day before the goods are expected to arrive at the point of entry.
Do I need IPAFFS for egusi from Nigeria?
Yes. Egusi from Nigeria is a listed high-risk food for aflatoxins, so it must be pre-notified and enter through a designated border control post.
Can my customs agent do the IPAFFS notification?
Yes. GOV.UK says importers and import agents use IPAFFS; agents register with their own business details.
Do I need IPAFFS for Nigerian beans?
No notification will help: dried beans from Nigeria are suspended from entry into Great Britain.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS) (updated 17 Sep 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Importing live animals, animal products and HRFNAO from non-EU countries to Great Britain (updated 28 Jan 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- FSA on GOV.UK: Importing high-risk food and feed of non-animal origin (HRFNAO) into Great Britain (updated 7 Sep 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- FSA on GOV.UK: Foodstuffs with GB import restrictions (updated 10 Jul 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Defra: List of trading partners approved to export fishery products to Great Britain (EUR 2019/626) · 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.