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The short answer
Nigerian food exported commercially is cleared by NAFDAC’s Ports Inspection Directorate before it leaves: registered foods get a Combined Certificate of Manufacture and Free Sale, and processed or semi-processed foods a Health Certificate, after document checks, inspection and laboratory tests such as mycotoxins and pesticide residues. NAFDAC’s guideline puts the full process at up to 28 working days, and certificates are not issued once goods have left Nigeria. FDA rules still decide US entry.
The NAFDAC export certificates
NAFDAC’s export guideline (reference NAFDAC/PID/EXP/FCMD/2018/00) sets out the certificates it issues for regulated products leaving Nigeria.
| Certificate | For |
|---|---|
| Combined Certificate of Manufacture and Free Sale (CCMFS) | NAFDAC-registered food, cosmetics, medical devices, agrochemicals and animal feed |
| Health Certificate | Processed and semi-processed food |
| Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product (COPP) | Medicines |
| Export Certificate | Products leaving through ECOWAS land borders |
| Personal effects approval | Small quantities carried by travellers, within the guideline’s 10 kg and 30 kg limits |
For a US buyer of packaged Nigerian foods, the relevant documents are usually the CCMFS (if the product is NAFDAC-registered) or the Health Certificate (for processed foods such as garri, elubo, spices or dried produce). Personal-effects approval does not cover commercial stock.
What the exporter submits
- A letter to the Director-General, for the attention of the Ports Inspection Directorate
- NAFDAC registration licence for the product, where registered
- A good manufacturing or hygiene practice certificate
- Form NXP
- A copy of NEPC exporter registration
- Pro forma invoice and packing list
- A sample and the original certificate of analysis
- A no-objection letter from the manufacturer if a third party is exporting
- The importing country’s specifications
- For food, a photocopy of the NAQS phytosanitary certificate
Testing named in the guideline includes mycotoxins, pesticide residues and, for garri, cyanogenic glycosides. Fees are charged according to NAFDAC’s tariff; the guideline gives no amounts, so ask the exporter for the current cost.
One item on that list matters for US buyers who buy from traders rather than factories. Where a third party exports a product it did not make, NAFDAC asks for a no-objection letter from the manufacturer. If your Lagos trader cannot get one, it cannot get the export certificate for that product, and you should know that before you pay a deposit.
How long it takes
- Document vetting
- 1 day
- Inspection request
- within 48 hours
- Warehouse inspection
- 5 days
- Laboratory analysis
- 2 weeks
- Total
- up to 28 working days
Build that into your order timeline. NAFDAC will not issue an export certificate for products that have already left Nigeria, so a supplier who ships first and promises the paperwork later cannot fix it afterwards. Queries can be sent to ports@nafdac.gov.ng, the address in the guideline.
How it relates to FDA
A NAFDAC certificate is Nigeria’s export clearance. It is not a US entry document, and it does not replace any FDA requirement. For US entry, the rules that decide whether food is admitted are FDA’s:
- Food facility registration for the Nigerian facility that makes or packs the food, with a US agent (21 CFR Part 1, Subpart H).
- Prior notice for every shipment, confirmed at least 4 hours before arrival by air and 8 hours by water (Subpart I). See FDA prior notice.
- Labelling in English, with ingredients, allergens and the US name and address of the distributor.
- Import alerts: FDA lists 14 import alerts covering Nigerian products, including 23-14 for mycotoxins and 99-08 for pesticides. Products under an alert can be detained without examination.
Where NAFDAC’s tests overlap FDA’s concerns, as with mycotoxins in melon seeds or groundnuts, the NAFDAC certificate of analysis is useful evidence if FDA holds your shipment. It does not guarantee release, and US buyers should not treat it as if it did. See what FDA import alerts mean.
Common Nigerian foods and the issues to plan for
The NAFDAC tests and FDA’s import alerts point at the same weak spots. Plan for these when you choose products and suppliers.
| Product | What to plan for |
|---|---|
| Garri and other cassava products | NAFDAC’s guideline names cyanogenic glycoside testing for garri |
| Melon seeds (egusi), groundnuts, grains | Mycotoxins: tested by NAFDAC and covered by FDA import alert 23-14 |
| Dried, smoked or salt-cured fish | FDA import alert 16-74 covers uneviscerated salt-cured, dried or smoked fish |
| Palm oil and coloured foods | FDA import alert 45-02 covers illegal or undeclared colours |
| Spices, pepper, dried leaves | Pesticide residues (NAFDAC test; FDA alert 99-08) and Salmonella (FDA alert 99-19) |
An alert does not ban a product, but goods covered by one can be detained without physical examination until the importer shows they comply. Buying from a supplier whose lab results are already in hand saves weeks.
What to check first
- Ask the supplier which NAFDAC certificate your product will get, and whether it is NAFDAC-registered.
- Agree that the certificate and certificate of analysis are delivered before your pre-shipment payment.
- Check the supplier’s FDA food facility registration with your broker.
- Check whether your product type appears on FDA’s Nigeria import alerts.
- Allow up to 28 working days for NAFDAC before the shipping date.
Where Pryme fits
Paying against documents is easier with a clear record. A Pryme Business Account opened from the US lets you send staged payments to a Nigerian supplier, in naira or dollars, with the rate and the fee shown before you approve. Outside Nigeria, Pryme’s services are provided through regulated partners.
Questions people ask
Does Nigerian food need a NAFDAC certificate to export to the US?
Commercial food exports are cleared by NAFDAC’s Ports Inspection Directorate, which issues a CCMFS for registered products or a Health Certificate for processed foods. FDA rules separately decide US entry.
How long does a NAFDAC export certificate take?
NAFDAC’s guideline gives up to 28 working days: one day for document vetting, five days for warehouse inspection and two weeks for laboratory analysis.
Does FDA accept the NAFDAC certificate?
It is not a US entry document. It can support your evidence if FDA holds food, but FDA registration, prior notice and labelling rules still apply.
Can NAFDAC issue an export certificate after shipping?
No. The guideline says certificates are not issued for products that have already left Nigeria.
Sources
- NAFDAC: Guideline for export of regulated products (2018) · accessed Oct 2026
- eCFR: 21 CFR Part 1 Subpart I, Prior notice of imported food · accessed Oct 2026
- eCFR: 21 CFR Part 1 Subpart H, Registration of food facilities · accessed Oct 2026
- FDA: Import alerts by country, Nigeria (posted 21 Oct 2026) · 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.