FAQs · Honest Answers

Your Shipping Questions Answered

The questions UK-Nigeria customers actually ask before booking — port holds, hidden fees, lost cargo, vehicle restrictions, exchange rates. Direct answers, no fluff, written by people who run this corridor every week.

UK-Nigeria shipping has a reputation for surprises — lost cargo, hidden fees, ships sitting at port for weeks, vehicles refused entry, "extra clearance fees" appearing out of nowhere. Most of these problems are caused by under-resourced operators making promises they cannot keep, or by under-declared shipments hitting Nigerian Customs harder than the customer expected.

Below are the eight concerns we hear most often. Where there is a real risk, we say so. Where there is a workaround, we explain it. Where another Precebol page covers the topic in depth, we link directly to it. If you have a question not answered here, message us on WhatsApp +44 7772 584753 and we will answer in writing.

FAQ

Common Concerns

Every Precebol shipment includes goods-in-transit insurance as standard — your cargo is covered from UK collection until door delivery in Nigeria. If anything is lost or damaged during transit, we open a claim immediately, document the loss, and process compensation under the standard insured value. We have paid claims before; we know the process works. The insured value is declared at booking; for high-value shipments, additional cover can be added on request.
You receive milestone updates by SMS, WhatsApp or email at each major stage — collection, hub receipt, departure, Nigerian arrival, customs cleared, out for delivery. You can also message us at any time on WhatsApp +44 7772 584753 with your booking reference and we will pull up the current status within 2 hours during business hours. For sea cargo, once we share the vessel name you can self-track the ship live on MarineTraffic.com or VesselFinder.com. See our full guide on how to track a UK–Nigeria shipment.
Yes — this is the most common scam pattern in the UK-Nigeria corridor. Fly-by-night shippers quote a low UK-side price and then ask your recipient for "extra clearance fees" of two to three times the original quote to release cargo at the port. Money the original shipper never intended to pay. Our Pricing Promise is the opposite: every Precebol quote is in GBP, all-inclusive of UK collection, freight, Nigerian customs clearance, and door delivery. We will never call your recipient asking for extras. Read our guide on how to spot a trusted cargo company before you book with anyone.
Customs holds happen — usually because of a documentation issue (missing Form M, wrong HS code, undeclared item), a random examination selection, or seasonal congestion at the port. When it happens to a Precebol shipment, our Lagos office and licensed clearing agents work directly with NCS examiners to resolve the issue. You are kept informed throughout; we do not surprise you with sudden fee requests. Most holds clear within 3–7 days. The way to avoid them is honest declaration, correct HS codes, and Form M readiness — all of which we manage on your behalf.
Three big ones. First: Nigeria only permits left-hand drive vehicles for road registration. UK vehicles are right-hand drive — they cannot be legally registered in Nigeria. If you are buying a vehicle to export, it must be LHD. Second: vehicles must be 12 years old or newer (for 2026 imports, that means manufactured 2014 or later). Older vehicles attract prohibitive duties or are refused entry. Third: SONCAP certification applies to certain vehicle imports. We flag all three at quotation. See our automobile shipment service page and the Nigeria vehicle import duty guide for the full breakdown.
If our driver cannot make your booked collection slot — weather, traffic, vehicle issue — we contact you the same day to reschedule, usually within 24–48 hours. We do not charge for a re-booking caused by us. If you need to reschedule, message us at least 24 hours before your slot and we'll move you to the next available date. Our pickup network covers every UK city and town; collection availability is rarely the bottleneck.
Your Precebol quote is in GBP and is locked at booking. Exchange rate movement between booking and shipment does not change what you pay. We absorb that risk on the UK side. The only Naira-denominated charge in any UK→Nigeria shipment is the Nigerian Customs duty on commercial goods or vehicles — and that is paid by you (or by us on your behalf) to the Nigerian Customs Service at the prevailing rate on the day of clearance. We estimate it upfront in writing so you can budget. Read our pricing promise for the full breakdown.
Strictly prohibited items are seized and destroyed regardless of intent: fresh meat and fish, fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh dairy and eggs, plant material and seeds, certain processed meats, used pneumatic tyres, used air conditioners, weapons and counterfeit goods. Restricted items (textiles in commercial quantities, certain electronics, alcohol) require correct documentation or NAFDAC/SONCAP certification. We tell you straight at booking what cannot go and what needs paperwork. See our complete prohibited items guide for the full list and current Nigerian Customs prohibition updates.

More Detailed Reading

🛡️

How to Find a Trusted Cargo Company

7 red flags + 5 verification questions before you pay any UK-Nigeria shipper.
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How to Track a Shipment to Nigeria

What tracking really means for consolidated freight, milestones to expect, and how to get an honest update.
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Prohibited Items List

Complete current list of what Nigerian Customs will refuse or destroy.

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