AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
To sell Nigerian products online to UK shoppers you need a trading structure (sole trader or limited company), a name that follows the business name rules, and terms that respect the Consumer Contracts Regulations: shoppers can cancel within 14 days after the goods arrive. Check import and labelling rules for each product type, register for VAT if your turnover passes the threshold, and plan how you will pay suppliers in naira.
Pick your structure first
You can start as a sole trader or with a limited company. A company separates the shop's debts from your own and looks more established to marketplaces and payment providers; a sole trade is cheaper to run. The choice is weighed in sole trader or limited company. If you have a company, give it SIC codes that match what you really do; see SIC codes for importing Nigerian goods.
Your shop name and your brand
Your store can trade under a name different from your legal name, but trading names have their own rules, including restrictions on sensitive words. Our guide to trading name and company name rules covers these, and choosing a name with Yoruba or Igbo words explains how accents and diacritics are treated. A company name does not give you exclusive rights to a brand: for that, consider a UK trade mark.
Distance selling: the 14-day rule
Online sales to consumers fall under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Regulation 30 sets the cancellation period:
- Goods: the period ends 14 days after the day the goods come into the shopper's physical possession (or someone they nominate, other than the courier).
- Several items delivered on different days: the 14 days run from the last delivery.
- Regular deliveries over a period (such as a monthly spice box): from the first delivery.
- Services and digital content not on a physical medium: 14 days after the contract is made.
The regulations also set what information you must give before the sale and how refunds work, and they contain exceptions, for example for goods that spoil quickly. Read the regulations or a trading standards guide before writing your returns policy, and do not promise "no refunds" on products the law covers. Write your returns address and process clearly, because a shopper who receives goods shipped from Lagos still has UK rights against you as the seller.
Products: food, beauty and fabric are not the same
What you can import and how you must label it depends on the product. Food (spices, palm oil, garri, dried fish), cosmetics (shea butter, black soap) and textiles (ankara, aso-oke) each follow different rules on ingredients, labelling and safety. Before you list a product, check the GOV.UK and Food Standards Agency pages for that category, and ask your Nigerian supplier for ingredient lists and batch details. A product that is fine to bring in a suitcase for your family is not automatically fine to sell.
Worked example: landed cost of one product
| Example item (500g jar of a spice blend) | Cost |
|---|---|
| Supplier price in Lagos | ₦3,000 (about £1.50 at an example rate of ₦2,000 to £1) |
| Share of air freight and clearance | £2.10 |
| Packaging and UK label | £0.40 |
| Marketplace or card fees on a £9.99 sale (example 10%) | £1.00 |
| UK postage to customer | £3.20 |
| Total cost | £8.20 |
| Margin before overheads and returns | £1.79 |
The example shows how thin margins are once freight and postage are counted. Many stores raise basket size with bundles or free postage above a threshold. Every figure here is illustrative; get real freight and fee quotes.
Marketplace, own website or both
Most new stores choose between selling on a large marketplace, running their own website, or doing both. Each choice changes your costs and your duties.
- Marketplace. Faster to reach shoppers, but you pay listing and sales fees, follow the platform's product rules (many restrict food and cosmetics), and compete on price beside other African grocers.
- Own website. You keep the customer relationship and set your own policies, but you must bring the traffic yourself and you carry the full legal duties on information, cancellation and refunds.
- Both. Common once the shop is running: the marketplace brings new buyers, the website brings repeat orders.
Whichever you pick, your seller details must be accurate: legal name, trading name if different, a contact address and an email that you answer. Shoppers who buy jollof spice or ankara from a UK site expect a UK returns address; if returns go to Lagos, say so before the sale and account for the cost.
Stock: hold it in the UK or ship from Lagos?
Holding stock in the UK means faster delivery and simpler returns, but money is tied up in inventory and storage. Shipping each order from Lagos keeps stock costs down but means longer waits, higher postage per item and more customs paperwork. Many sellers bring in bulk shipments and fulfil from a small UK store room or a fulfilment service.
Tax and registration
- Register for Self Assessment (sole trader) or Corporation Tax (company).
- Watch your turnover against the VAT threshold; see the VAT threshold for a new business.
- Keep import paperwork; customs charges on goods coming in are part of your cost of sales.
Where Pryme fits
A UK store selling Nigerian goods earns in pounds and pays suppliers in naira. A Pryme Business Account holds both, with local details for each, and Business Swap converts only when you choose, with the rate and fee shown before you approve. You can generate verifiable receipts for supplier payments through receipts, built with VerifyDoc.ai, which helps when a customs or tax query asks what you paid.
Questions people ask
Can I sell Nigerian food online in the UK?
Yes, but food has its own import, safety and labelling rules. Check GOV.UK and the Food Standards Agency for each product before listing it.
How long do UK customers have to return online orders?
Under regulation 30 of the Consumer Contracts Regulations, the cancellation period for goods ends 14 days after the goods arrive, with exceptions in the regulations.
Do I need a limited company to sell online?
No. You can trade as a sole trader, but a company separates the business's debts from your own.
Do I need to register for VAT for a small online shop?
Only once your taxable turnover passes the VAT threshold, or if you choose to register voluntarily.
Sources
- legislation.gov.uk: Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, regulation 30 · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK / Companies House: Incorporation and names (updated 19 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.