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The short answer
From Nigeria you cannot bring any meat or dairy products into Ireland, including cheese and powdered milk, except infant formula under 2 kg. Under EU rules you may bring up to 20 kg of fish, including dried and smoked fish and stockfish, and up to 2 kg of honey. Dried seeds and spices are generally allowed for personal use, though some origins have 5 kg or 2 kg limits.
Flying back to Dublin from Lagos or Abuja with a bag of home food is part of the trip for many families. The rules at the airport are EU rules, because Ireland applies the EU's controls on food from outside the EU. They are strict on meat and dairy and more relaxed on dried and packaged foods, with weight limits in between. This guide covers personal luggage only; selling the food is a different matter.
The short version
| Food | Allowed from Nigeria? | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Meat and meat products (suya, kilishi, ponmo, sausages, corned beef) | No | FSAI; European Commission |
| Milk and dairy (cheese, wara, powdered milk, yoghurt) | No, except infant milk and formula under 2 kg | FSAI; European Commission |
| Fish (stockfish, dried or smoked fish, prawns) | Up to 20 kg, or the weight of one fish if heavier | European Commission |
| Honey | Up to 2 kg | European Commission |
| Dried fruit, seeds, spices, herbs | Generally yes for personal use; some origins limited to 5 kg fresh or 2 kg dried | FSAI |
| Biscuits, sweets, chocolate, cakes without meat or dairy | Yes | FSAI |
Meat and dairy: the hard line
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland's page on food imports for personal use says travellers arriving from non-EU countries may not bring any dairy or meat products, including cheese. The European Commission's page on personal imports says the same: no meat, milk or their products from non-EU countries, under Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2122. In practice that rules out suya, kilishi, dried or smoked meat, ponmo, meat pies with meat fillings, and tins of corned beef. Powdered milk counts as dairy.
The one exception is for babies and medical needs. Both pages allow powdered infant milk, infant formula, baby food and foods for special medical purposes under 2 kg, in original packaging, and not needing refrigeration before opening.
Fish, crayfish and stockfish
The European Commission's page allows fishery products up to 20 kg per person, or the weight of one fish if that is higher. It names fish and certain shellfish such as prawns and lobsters. The page does not separate fresh, dried and smoked fish, so dried stockfish and smoked fish fall within the same 20 kg. Dried crayfish are shellfish in the everyday sense; the Commission's wording ('certain shellfish') leaves room for doubt, so count them within your 20 kg and declare them if asked.
Egusi, ogbono, pepper and spices
FSAI says dried fruit and seeds are allowed for personal consumption, and spices and herbs are allowed if they are not from high-risk areas and are free from pests. It adds that some nuts, dried fruits, seeds, spices and herbs from certain third countries have weight limits of 5 kg for fresh and 2 kg for dried products, and points to a country-specific list. Check that list for Nigeria before you pack a large bag of egusi or dried pepper. Our guide on bringing egusi, crayfish and stockfish into Ireland looks at these foods one by one.
What happens if you get it wrong
The European Commission says controls are carried out at EU entry points, that scanners and detector dogs may be used, and that non-compliant food is seized and destroyed, with those responsible liable for costs or penalties. The simplest course at Dublin Airport is to declare food you are unsure about rather than walk through the green channel with it.
Sending food by post instead
Posting does not get around the rules. FSAI says sending meat or meat products to Ireland by post from non-EU countries is illegal, and that fresh meat, dairy and plants are prohibited in the post.
Personal use is not trade
These allowances are for your own consumption. The Commission's page covers only personal goods carried by travellers or posted, not commercial imports. If the food is for an African shop, a catering business or resale, it is a commercial import with health certificates, border checks and food business registration; see importing Nigerian foodstuff into Ireland and importing smoked fish for sale.
A worked example
Example only: a family of three returns from Enugu. Between them they carry 12 kg of stockfish and dried fish, 3 kg of dried crayfish, 1.5 kg of honey, 4 kg of egusi and a tin of infant formula. The fish and crayfish total 15 kg, inside the 20 kg one traveller could carry under the Commission's rule. The honey is under 2 kg. The formula is allowed if it is under 2 kg and unopened. The egusi is the item to check: if FSAI's country list sets a 2 kg limit for dried seeds from Nigeria, 4 kg split across two passengers' bags is the cautious way to pack it, and a pack of ponmo someone added at the last minute would have to come out.
Packing checklist
- No meat, no dairy, no cheese, no powdered milk (unless infant formula under 2 kg).
- Fish of all kinds within 20 kg per person.
- Honey within 2 kg.
- Seeds and spices: check FSAI's country list for Nigerian limits.
- Keep food in labelled, sealed packs so it can be identified quickly.
- If in doubt, declare.
Where Pryme fits
If you would rather have relatives buy food locally for a visit or a celebration, a Pryme account lets you send naira from euros at home with Send; the app shows the rate and the fee before you approve. Outside Nigeria, Pryme's services are provided through regulated partners.
Questions people ask
Can I bring stockfish from Nigeria to Ireland?
Yes, within the EU's 20 kg per person limit for fishery products, or the weight of one fish if heavier, according to the European Commission.
Can I bring suya or dried meat into Dublin Airport?
No. FSAI and the European Commission say no meat or meat products may be brought from non-EU countries.
Is powdered milk allowed from Nigeria?
Only powdered infant milk or formula under 2 kg, in original packaging. Other milk products are not allowed.
What happens if customs finds banned food in my bag?
The European Commission says non-compliant food is seized and destroyed, and you may be liable for costs or penalties.
Sources
- Food Safety Authority of Ireland: Food imports for personal use (undated, 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- European Commission, DG SANTE: About personal imports of animal products (undated) · 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.