Nigeria certification is led by SON (Standards Organization of Nigeria ), SONCAP full name is Standards Organization of Nigeria-Conformity Assessment Program. (Standards Organization of Nigeria-Conformity Assessment Program) is the meaning of the mandatory conformity assessment program in Nigeria. SONCAP is a new policy implemented by the Federal Government of Nigeria to check and control the export of substandard and unsafe products to the country. SONCAP is a new policy implemented by the Federal Government of Nigeria to check and control the export of non-conforming and unsafe products to the country. SONCAP from September 1, 2005 began to take effect, and gave a grace period of 90 days, that is, on December 1, 2005 from the official implementation.
Purpose of SONCAP Certification
To ensure that regulated products exported to Nigeria and marketed in the country comply with the relevant provisions of the Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS);
To ensure that imported and domestically manufactured products are given a platform of quality to prevent unfair competition in the marketplace;
To prevent the dumping of substandard goods in the Nigerian marketplace, thereby avoiding losses to the country and importers;
Avoiding loss of lives and property, including loss of foreign exchange paid to exporters;
Preventing negative impacts, such as environmental contamination, arising from the destruction of substandard products by the relevant regulatory agencies;
Ensuring speedy customs clearance of imported goods, thereby facilitating trade;
Helping to encourage genuine investors to to invest in Nigeria.
SONCAP Compliance Procedure
Two-step process:
1. Product Certification: Product Certification;
2. SONCAP Certification: SONCAP Mandatory Certification.
The first step, Product Certification, applies only to the initial export of a specific category of controlled products to Nigeria. Exporters who pass the product certification will receive a Product Certificate, which is valid for three years. Thereafter, an application for the opening of Form "M" can be made.
The second step, SONCAP mandatory certification, applies to a batch of pre-shipment goods.
SONCAP Certificate (SONCAP Certificate) is a controlled product in the Nigerian Customs clearance procedures for the legal requirements of the instrument, the lack of SONCAP Certificate will result in delayed clearance of controlled products or may be refused to clear the entry. It should be noted that, in addition to product certification and SONCAP mandatory certification procedures, controlled products must be accompanied by any other existing import procedures, such as pre-shipment inspection (PSI). Alternatively, product certification and mandatory SONCAP certification are not a substitute for any other existing import procedures required by the Nigerian government
Methods for obtaining SONCAP certificates
SONCAP provides exporters of regulated products with two methods for obtaining SONCAP certificates. Exporters can determine the options based on their own circumstances.
The first method, known as the Substantiated Declaration, is available to exporters whose products are fully compliant with Nigerian standards and regulations. Exporters are required to submit a test report (Test Report) and a Request for Product Certification (RFPC) form to the NNSA office in the exporting country before the goods are loaded on board the ship.
After the examination and approval of the Test Report, the importer will be issued with a Product Certificate, which will be valid for a maximum period of three years from the date of issue of the Test Report. Thereafter, before each batch of controlled products is loaded onto a ship, the exporter shall submit to the office a completed Request for Shipment Certification (Request for Shipment Certification) and a copy of the Final Invoice (Final Invoice). The SONCAP certificate will be issued to the exporter for customs clearance.
The second method is called "Unsubstantiated Declaration" (Unsubstantiated Declaration), which is applicable to exporters who are unable to submit the Substantiating Test Report (Substantiating Test Report). The exporter must contact the Office, which provides the exporter with the contact information of an authorized laboratory that can test a particular controlled product. After the product has passed the test, the exporter must submit a copy of the test report (Test Report) and a copy of the Request for Product Certification (RFPC, see attached) to the Office. The SONCAP certificate will be issued to the exporter for customs clearance.
If the product is exported for the first time, follow the second method, if it is exported later within the period of the product certificate, follow the first method.
SONCAP mandatory certification of the product range
1. Electrical and electronic products; for example: household appliances, IT products, communication products, lighting products, AV products and so on.
2. automobile and motorcycle tires
3. automotive glass
4. spare parts for motor vehicles
5. motorcycle batteries
6. gas appliances
7. toys
8. certain galvanized steel products
9. food and food-related products
10. Chemicals
11. Building Materials and Gas Appliances
Consequences of Failure to Meet SONCAP Requirements
Controlled products arriving at the Nigerian ports without the requisite SONCAP certificates will be denied customs clearance for entry. The importer/exporter will be required to ship the goods back to the exporting country or have the goods sampled and inspected by the appropriate agency, with the consequences of the delay and associated costs incurred being borne by the exporter/importer.
IEC report to SONCAP need to pay attention to several issues
1), the input voltage of the product must include 230V (±4%), 50HZ (single-phase), 415V (three-phase), household appliances can not be used with three-phase power supply.
2), The environmental rating is TROPICAL, so products such as the 60950 must be calibrated for an operating temperature of 40 degrees Celsius or more,
3), The product must be earthed,
4), Plugs and sockets are required to meet the requirements of BS 1363 and BS 546, and the saver must meet the requirements of BS4573.
Require you to specify the IEC report is to SONCAP when you open the case, otherwise we test and report according to the standard and customer requirements.
5), the certificate is valid for three years, need to be audited once a year.
Services provided by LCS
We will provide you with a full range of services from data organization and preliminary audit, laboratory testing to obtaining product certificates and the first time to obtain the SONCAP certificate, and continue to provide follow-up services. If you have any business inquiries, please feel free to contact us.
SONCAP Certification FAQs
1. How do I start product certification?
When you intend to export controlled products to Nigeria, you can contact the office of the Nigerian National Bureau of Standards (NBS) in your country and submit the inspection report and application form for product certification. If your proposed export goods belong to more than one category of controlled products (see product list), you must apply according to the category, one product category corresponds to one application.
2. What should I do if the exporter cannot provide the inspection report of controlled products?
Your products must be examined by an authorized laboratory in accordance with the relevant Nigerian technical regulations before shipment.
3. What is the process of product certification?
After receiving the relevant documents submitted by you, the office of the Nigerian National Bureau of Standards (NBS) in your country will review the inspection report to confirm its compliance with the relevant Nigerian technical regulations. After passing the examination, the office will issue a product certificate to you.
4, product certificate is valid for how long?
The product certificate is valid for a maximum of three years from the date of issuance of the inspection report. Please renew the certificate before the expiration date. For renewal, please submit a new test report to the office.
5, SONCAP certification process?
After obtaining the product certificate, please submit a Request for SONCAP Certification (RFSC) and a copy of the final invoice to the office of the Nigerian National Bureau of Standards (NBS) in your country. SONCAP certification application form must be filled with the product certificate reference number (Reference Number). The office will issue you a SONCAP certificate after reviewing the above documents.
6, certification how to charge?
Product certification and SONCAP certification fees see later in the topic description.
7, if the test failed or did not pass the product certification, how to operate?
Nigeria National Bureau of Standards Office in your country will immediately notify you and give you the opportunity to take relevant improvement measures.
8. After obtaining the SONCAP certificate, can exporters ship controlled products to Nigeria?
The SONCAP Certificate is a statutory requirement for the export of controlled products to Nigeria, but there are other statutory instruments that are required for customs clearance at the Nigerian Customs. In addition to the SONCAP Certificate, a Pre-shipment Inspection (PI) of the controlled products needs to be carried out in your country by the relevant authorized agency in Nigeria.
9, in the SONCAP certification process, the office will not be exported to the controlled product inspection?
SONCAP reserves the right to sample pre-shipment goods for inspection.
10. Does the exporter need to comply with other import formalities required in Nigeria?
SONCAP is a special program for controlled products. Therefore, as mentioned earlier, there are other formalities that need to be complied with for the export of controlled products.
11. Can a Nigerian importer initiate the certification process?
Yes. The importer completes the SONCAP certification application form and faxes it to the SONCAP Program Manager, who faxes it to the office in your country. The exporter completes the other formalities.