SONCAP

SONCAP is a pre-shipment verification of conformity to Standards process used to verify that products to be imported into Nigeria are in conformity with the applicable NIS or approved equivalents, and technical regulations before shipment.

Under the SONCAP regime, imports are required to undergo verification and testing at country of supply (Exporting) and a SONCAP Certificate (SC) issued demonstrating that the products meet the applicable standards and regulations or a Non-Conformity Report (NCR) where the goods do not comply.

The conformity assessment elements undertaken in SONCAP include but not limited to physical inspection prior to shipment, sampling, testing and analysis in accredited laboratories, audit of product processes and systems, and documentary check of conformity with regulations and overall assessment of conformity to standards.

The objectives of the programme include but are not limited to the following:

• Ensure that regulated products comply with the NIS or approved standards prior to export to Nigeria
• Provide a level playing field in terms of quality for both regulated and locally manufactured products in order to prevent unfair competition
• Prevent the dumping of substandard goods into the Nigeria market and as a result preventing economic loss to the importer and the nation at large
• Impede loss of lives and property including foreign exchange bearing in mind that the exporting country/Exporter have been paid for the goods shipped into Nigeria
• Forestall any adverse reaction (such as environmental pollution occasioned by destruction of substandard products) by regulatory Agencies on arrival of such goods in Nigeria
• Facilitate trade through fast track clearance of goods at the ports
• Encourage genuine investors and investments in Nigeria
• Promote made in Nigeria products
• Conserve foreign exchange

The scheme entails two mandatory processes of verification of product quality to meet specified standards such as NIS, International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), and International Electrotechnical Committee (IEC) and approved standards of other Nations among others.

The processes are:

• Product Certificate 1 (Unregistered Status) or Product Certificate 2 (Registered Status) or Product Certificate 3 (Licensed Status)
• Certificate of Conformity (CoC)
• SONCAP Certification (SC)

These documents are mandatory for importation and Customs clearance of SONCAP regulated goods under the import requirements of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Product Certificate 1 (Unregistered Status), Product Certificate 2 (Registered Status) or Product Certificate 3 (Licensed Status) issued under Routes A, B and C respectively are required for the opening of Form ‘M.’ The Product Certificate 1 (Unregistered Status) is valid for one shipment only whereas the Product Certificate 2 (Registered Status) or Product Certificate 3 (Licensed Status) are valid for a period of one year.

The SONCAP Certificate (SC) is a mandatory Customs clearance document in Nigeria. It is issued by Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) on receipt of Certificate of Conformity (CoC) from the IAFs. The Certificate is applicable to SONCAP regulated products.

The SONCAP compliance procedures are designed to provide flexibility in the testing of regulated products by exporters. Any exporter is at liberty to select any of the IAFs laboratories or approved Accreditation Agents laboratories which will be used for testing the samples, as provided for above.

SCOPE

The current regulated Products  includes all imported goods to be regulated by SONCAP except the following:

• Food products
• Drugs (Medicines)
• Medicals other than equipment and machines
• Chemicals used as raw material by bonafide manufacturers
• Military wares & equipment
• Goods classified as contraband by the Federal Government of Nigeria
• Used products other than automobiles
• Bonafide manufacturers who intend to import machinery or related spare parts for their manufacturing are advised to apply to the SON for SONCAP import permit to enable them import (link to import permit).
• The Federal Government through an Inter-ministerial Technical Committee on Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) which is domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may from time to time add or delete product(s) for regulation under the scheme. Appropriate notification will always be provided by the CISS through the CBN and an adequate period will be allowed between the date of publicizing the measure and its implementation to enable full compliance.

SONCAP Import Permit
The SON shall issue SONCAP import permit to exempt certain categories of imports of regulated products from certification. This shall be done after examination of the import documents by the SONCAP unit and approved by the Director General of SON. Imports covered by permits will be subjected to conformity assessment in Nigeria.
 

AFRICA STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATIONS
Address: CBC Towers, 11, Olubunmi Owa Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
Office number: +234 913 755 6775
Nigeria Contact: Frederick Izegbune  (+234 806 508 8102)
frederick.izegbune@asc-africa.com
Nigeria Contact: Olumide Ibiloro   (+234 703 705 4720)
olumide.ibiloro@asc-africa.com
South Africa Contact: Bongani Khanyile  (+27 82 784 2944)
bongani@asc-africa.com
Address: 41, Kyalami BLVD,
Kyalami Business Park
South Africa.

 
BUREAU VERITAS
Web address: https://vergates.bureauveritas.com/soncap
Contact Person: Olumide ELEGBEDE,  VOC coordinator
+ 234 (0) 8172241670,
olumide.elegbede.ext@bureauveritas.com
Isioma Alabi, VOC Country Liaison Manager
Email address: isioma.alabi@bureauveritas.com
Phone Number: +234090169997424
BUREAU VERITAS NIGERIA LIMITED
11, Niger Street, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi
Lagos,
Web: https://group.bureauveritas.com

 
CHINA CERTIFICATION & INSPECTION GROUP
Contact person: Qingyuan Deng
Address:18/F. Zhongjian Building, No. 18, Xibahe Dongli,
Chaoyang District, Beijing, P.R. China (P.C: 100028)
Phone number: Tel: +86 010 84603006, +86 18722152029
Fax:+86 010 84603727
Email Address:dengqingyuan@ccic.com
Website: www.ccic.com       insp.ccic.com
Nigerian Address: Plot 2, block 2. Crown Court Estate.
Mabushi. Abuja. Nigeria
Contact person: Mr. Zhao Meng. 09057321997 

CHINA STANDARD INSPECTION Co, LTD.
Web address: www.csicgroup.com.cn
Contact Persons:
Name: Kodumuo Ruth
Phone: +234 08163680730
Name: Ibrahim Modinat
Phone: +234 08062078473
lichenyang@csicgroup.com.cn
liujing@csicgroup.com.cn
xg092755@hotmail.com
ruthkodumuo@yahoo.com
ibrahimmodinat72@gmail.com
Address: 
No. 16, Burma Road, Apapa, Lagos,
Nigeria

 
COTECNA – NIGERIA
Cotecna Verification Services Nigeria Ltd.
Plot 11C, Adedeji Adekola Street,
Off Freedom Way, By kate Roundabout,
Lekki Phase 1, LeKKI.
Lagos, Nigeria.
Web address: www.exports-to-nigeria.com
Contact Person: Ade Adediran
Email address. ade.adediran@cotecna-nigeria.com
Phone +234 8030770071, +234 8090770071
Contact Person: Oluwabukola Akpata
Email  address  oluwabukola.akpata@cotecna-nigeria.com
Phone +234 8023159498,  +234 9169842189

GARI LEGAS GLOBAL SERVICES LTD.
No. 47 Parakou Street,
Wuse 2, Abuja
Web Address; http://www.garilegasglobalservices.com
Emails-
aliyu.musa@garilegasglobalservices.com.ng,
info@garilegasglobalservices.com.ng
salim.ahmed@gariglobalservices.com.ng
 Phone; +234 8034760325, +234 8022626134, +44 7984659988

HELMSMAN QUALITY AND TECHNOLOGY SERVICES CO. LTD
Web Address; https://www.hqts.com/
HQTS Application: https://pvoc.hqts.cn/soncap
Contact Emails: ameh.idu@hqts.com, soncap@hqts.com
Phone: +234 8032082549, +86 59183772176, +91 8447365822

INTERSHIP QUALITY SOLUTIONS LTD
Address: No 2, Jomo Kenyatta Street, Asokoro, Abuja
E-mail: info@intershipqs.com, u.mantu@intershipqs.com, https://intenshipqs.com
Phone Number: +234 7061687537,  +234 8037630579.