How to Ship a Car from Canada to Nigeria — Complete 2026 Guide
Everything you need to know to ship a vehicle from any Canadian city to Lagos, Tin Can, or Port Harcourt — costs, paperwork, transit times, RoRo vs container, and the common mistakes that cost first-time shippers thousands.
What you'll pay
Pricing varies by vehicle type, destination port, and time of year. The table below shows the shipping methods available for common cargo to Nigeria from a Canadian East Coast port (Montreal or Halifax):
Rates fluctuate weekly with carrier capacity, fuel costs, and seasonal demand. For a firm quote, fill out our quote form and we'll respond within 24 hours.
RoRo vs Container — which should you pick?
RoRo (Roll-on / Roll-off)
The vehicle is driven onto a specialized car-carrier vessel, secured by chains to the deck, and rolled off at the destination port. Cheaper, faster turnaround, and no container space wasted.
Choose RoRo if:
- The vehicle is operable (drives, even slowly)
- You only need port-to-port, not door-to-door, on the destination side
- You're shipping a standard-size car/SUV/truck
- You don't need to ship personal items inside the vehicle
Container
The vehicle is loaded into a 20ft or 40ft shipping container, secured with straps and blocking, and the container is sealed before being placed on a regular container vessel. More protection, but more expensive and slightly longer turnaround.
Choose container if:
- The vehicle is non-operable (won't drive — needed for accident-damaged, project cars, classics)
- You're shipping a luxury or rare car you want fully enclosed
- You want to ship personal effects (boxes, furniture) along with the car
- You're shipping two cars and want to share a 40ft container to cut costs
Transit time, week by week
- Day 0 — Drop-off (or our pickup) at our Oakville warehouse
- Day 1–5 — Vehicle inspected, documented, loaded into container or staged for RoRo
- Day 5–8 — Container/cargo trucked to Port of Montreal (sometimes Halifax)
- Day 8–12 — Awaiting vessel cutoff date, loaded onto sailing
- Day 12–32 — Atlantic crossing — typically 18–25 days at sea to West Africa
- Day 32–40 — Port arrival, customs clearance at destination (paperwork-dependent)
- Day 40+ — Vehicle released to consignee
Total door-to-door: 40 to 55 days on average. Faster routes exist via Mediterranean transshipment (Algeciras → Lagos) but those add cost.
Required paperwork (Canada side)
Before we can ship your vehicle, we need:
- Vehicle title — Original Ontario or other provincial title, in your name. If financed, a lien-release letter from your bank.
- Bill of sale — If you bought the vehicle within the last 12 months, the original purchase receipt.
- Government-issued photo ID — Driver's license or passport.
- CBSA B13A export declaration — Required once an export exceeds the CBSA B13A export-declaration threshold. We file this for you.
- House Bill of Lading (HBL) — We issue this once the vehicle is loaded.
If the vehicle is registered to someone else (gift, family transfer), we'll need a notarized letter from the registered owner authorizing the export.
Required paperwork (Nigeria side)
Your consignee in Nigeria will need to clear customs at Apapa, Tin Can, or PTML. They'll need:
- Original Bill of Lading (the one we issue, mailed to them)
- Form M — Pre-arrival import permit from Nigerian Customs (filed before the vessel sails)
- PAAR (Pre-Arrival Assessment Report) — issued by Nigeria Customs Service
- SONCAP certificate for newer vehicles
- Original purchase invoice and title
- Duty payment — typically 35% of CIF value + 7.5% VAT for used vehicles, more for newer/luxury
Most consignees use a Nigerian customs broker (clearing agent) for the destination side — we can introduce you to ones we trust if you don't already have one.
5 mistakes that cost first-time shippers thousands
1. Under-declaring the vehicle value
Some forwarders suggest declaring a low value to reduce duty. Nigeria Customs has a comprehensive used-vehicle valuation database — they'll re-value at the actual market price and slap a penalty on top. Always declare honestly.
2. Choosing a forwarder with no insurance
If your vehicle is damaged in transit and your forwarder doesn't carry cargo liability insurance, you have almost no recourse. Ask any forwarder for proof of cargo insurance before booking. (For the record: we carry comprehensive cargo liability + E&O coverage on every shipment.)
3. Filing Form M too late
Nigeria requires Form M to be filed before the cargo arrives. If your consignee files after arrival, the vehicle sits at port accruing daily storage and demurrage fees. Get your consignee started on Form M as soon as we send sailing confirmation.
4. Not removing personal items from the vehicle (for RoRo)
RoRo carriers do not allow personal effects inside the vehicle. If port inspectors find them, your vehicle can be held, fined, or refused loading. Container shipping allows personal effects, but they must be declared and itemized.
5. Picking a forwarder based only on price
The cheapest quote often comes from forwarders who don't pay the full carrier rate, hoping to add surcharges later. Real total cost matters more than the headline number. Ask for an all-in quote with every fee itemized — that's what we provide on every quote.
Ready to ship?
We've shipped vehicles to Lagos, Apapa, Tin Can, Port Harcourt, and beyond. Fill out our 3-minute quote form and we'll send a firm price with full breakdown within 24 hours.
Have questions we didn't cover? Reach out — we answer real questions from real people, usually within a few hours.