Looking for SONCAP
Product Certification?

SONCAP stands for Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme. It is a mandatory conformity assessment system established to ensure that imported products meet the required Nigerian standards before entering the Nigerian market. Under the SONCAP regime, regulated products must undergo verification and testing in the exporting country through approved Independent Accredited Firms (IAFs). Following successful assessment, a SONCAP Certificate (SC) is issued to confirm compliance with applicable standards and regulations, while a Non-Conformity Report (NCR) is issued for products that fail to meet the required standards. The conformity assessment process may include physical inspection prior to shipment, product sampling, laboratory testing and analysis, production process audits, documentary reviews, and overall conformity evaluation. Importers of regulated products are required to obtain both a Product Certificate (PC) and a SONCAP Certificate (SC), which are mandatory for processing Form M and obtaining Nigerian Customs clearance for SON-regulated goods in accordance with the import requirements of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The product certificate (PC) is the first certificate issued during the SONCAP certification process, which represents the conformities of products to quality requirements. It is used in the opening of the CBN Form M, or other CBN documents for processing importation, to enable importation into Nigeria. The PC is issued to the exporter, as only his details are stated on the certificate.

The SONCAP Certificate (SC) is used to process the PAAR for the clearance of goods from any Nigerian port. The SC is issued to an importer, whose details are stated on the SONCAP certificate.

The Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System, also known as the Harmonised System (HS) of tariff nomenclature is an internationally standardized system of names and numbers to classify traded products. The Harmonized System is used by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria as a mechanism for the identification, modification, and implementation of regulatory control over all products. The Nigeria Customs Service also uses it to implement duties and taxes on products, and for gathering statistics.

Product Certificates (PCs) are generally issued within 96 hours, taking into account all applicable time zones.

However, PCs may be generated within 24 hours provided that all qualifying documents and test reports are submitted within a reasonable timeframe.

Additionally, all products must fully comply with the applicable standards and regulatory requirements to qualify for expedited processing.

Product Certificate 1 (Unregistered Status) = $500 Product Certificate 2 (Registered Status) = $1000 Product Certificate 3 (Licensed Status) = $2,000 New Product = $350 Certificate amendment fee = $100 Non-conformity Report = $350.00 Additional model to be included in the same certificate, and covered in the same test report, is charged at an additional$10.00 per month of validity per model. PC1 = $60 PC2 = $120 PC3 = $120

$350.00 per certificate

SCs are generated within 96 Hours considering all time zones. However, SCs can be generated within 24 Hours subject to the following fulfillments: All Qualifying documents and Test Reports are submitted within a reasonable time frame. All products comply with applicable standard requirements.

NO
SONCAP Certificate is only limited to processing a single PAAR consignment and issued to only one entity

Product Certificate (PC1) – Unregistered / Unlicensed (Conformity Verification) – Valid for six months and intended for single-use shipments.

Product Certificate (PC2) – Registered Status – Valid for 12 months (one year) and allows multiple shipments during the validity period.

Product Certificate (PC3) – Licensed Status – Valid for 12 months (one year) and permits multiple shipments under the licensed certification scheme.

The Import Permit (IMP) issued for processing Form M is valid for 12 months, after which it automatically becomes invalid.

This validity period serves as a control measure, as a Proforma Invoice (PFI) is generally valid for no more than three months, after which the stated values may no longer be applicable.

The validity of the Import Permit is therefore designed to align with the validity requirements of the Proforma Invoice.

As a precautionary measure, every Form M Import Permit should be utilized for processing the CBN Form M within six months from the date of issuance.