Door-to-Door Cargo from the UK to Nigeria: How the Process Works

The phrase “door-to-door” gets used a lot in freight, but what does it actually mean in practice? When you book a door-to-door shipment with Precebol, what happens between the moment we collect your goods in the UK and the moment they arrive at the recipient’s door in Nigeria?

This is the full walkthrough — every step, honestly explained.

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Step 1: Booking

Everything starts with a booking. You contact us with the details of your shipment — what you’re sending, approximately how much, where it’s going in Nigeria, and whether you want sea or air freight.

We give you an all-inclusive quote. For sea cargo, this covers collection, consolidation, sea freight, Apapa clearance, and last-mile delivery to your chosen Nigerian state. For air freight, the same principle applies — one price, full journey.

Once you’re happy with the quote, you confirm the booking and we agree a collection date.

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Step 2: Collection from Your UK Address

On the agreed day, our driver comes to your address and collects the goods. We cover all of England and Wales on a regular collection schedule — most areas in London and the South East weekly, other regions including Manchester and Birmingham on scheduled collection days.

You hand over your packed goods along with a completed packing list — we’ll guide you on how to fill this in correctly. It doesn’t need to be complicated; it just needs to accurately describe what’s inside.

If you’d prefer to drop off your goods at our London hub in Camberwell, that’s also an option and can sometimes be quicker.

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Step 3: London Hub — Checking and Consolidation

All goods come into our London hub at 52 Camberwell Church St, SE5 8QZ. Here, shipments are checked against the packing list, weighed, measured, and assigned a reference number.

For sea cargo, your goods join a consolidated shipment — an LCL (less-than-container-load) booking where multiple customers’ cargo shares space in the same container. This is how we keep costs manageable for senders who aren’t filling an entire container.

For air freight, goods are palletised or prepared according to airline cargo requirements.

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Step 4: Export Documentation

Before anything leaves the UK, we prepare and submit the required export documentation. This includes the export declaration to HMRC and the commercial or personal effects invoice that will accompany the goods to Nigeria.

Because Precebol holds EORI registration and is authorised by HMRC for customs activity, we handle this entirely — you don’t need your own EORI number or to navigate HMRC systems yourself.

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Step 5: Departure from the UK

For sea cargo, goods are transported to a UK port — typically Tilbury or Felixstowe — and loaded onto the container vessel. The sea leg to Lagos (Apapa port) takes approximately 7–10 days.

For air freight, cargo is dispatched through a UK air freight hub, typically Heathrow, and is usually airside within 24–48 hours of leaving our London facility.

We send you a notification when your goods have departed, along with tracking or reference information.

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Step 6: Arrival and Customs Clearance at Lagos

This is where most of the complexity sits, and where local knowledge makes the biggest difference.

For sea cargo, the vessel arrives at Apapa port. Our Nigeria team — based in Ikeja, Lagos — coordinates with our appointed clearing agent to begin the customs process. This involves:

• Presenting the bill of lading and supporting documentation
• Paying any applicable import duties and VAT
• Facilitating any physical examination if required by Nigerian Customs
• Collecting the goods once released

Clearance typically takes 1–2 weeks but can stretch longer during peak periods or if customs selects a shipment for examination. We keep you and the Nigerian recipient updated throughout.

For air freight, clearance through Lagos airport is generally faster — often 2–5 working days.

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Step 7: Last-Mile Delivery to the Nigerian Address

Once goods are released from customs, our Nigeria team arranges last-mile delivery. For Lagos addresses, delivery is typically within 1–2 days of clearance. For inland destinations — Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Owerri, and others — add 2–5 days for road transport.

Before delivery, we call the recipient to confirm their address and arrange a convenient time. Nobody should be surprised by a delivery — we give advance notice.

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What “Door-to-Door” Actually Includes

Included	Not included by default
UK collection from your address	Packing materials (bring your own or buy from us)
Export declaration and documentation	Specialist packing for fragile items
Sea or air freight	Extra large or overweight items (surcharges apply)
Nigerian customs clearance	Import duties (charged separately, based on goods)
Last-mile delivery to recipient	Storage beyond agreed holding period
Recipient notification
Tracking and updates

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How Our Two Offices Make This Seamless

The reason door-to-door works well on this route is that we have operational presence at both ends. Our UK office manages collection, documentation, and departure. Our Nigeria office at Mystee Kay Plaza, Ikeja, Lagos manages the customs clearance and coordinates inland delivery.

You’re not dealing with a UK forwarder who subcontracts everything to an unknown Nigerian partner. Both ends are Precebol.

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What Can Go Wrong — And How We Handle It

Customs holds: If Nigerian Customs selects your shipment for examination or queries the documentation, clearance takes longer. We respond to customs queries promptly and keep you informed. Accurate declarations upfront reduce the chances of this happening.

Port congestion: Apapa can get congested, especially in Q4. Cargo sits on vessels waiting for berths. We manage expectations on timing and update you at each milestone.

Recipient not available: If the recipient isn’t reachable or available at delivery, goods are held at our Lagos facility until re-delivery is arranged. No extra charge for a reasonable hold period.

Wrong address information: Double-check the Nigerian delivery address and phone number at booking. A wrong or outdated number is the most common cause of last-mile delivery issues.

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Book Your Door-to-Door Shipment

Ready to send? Call us on (+44) 7946 272819 or visit precebollogistics.co.uk to get a quote. Tell us what you’re sending and where it’s going — we’ll handle everything in between.