Verification of Conformity
Boost your exports
Demonstrate compliance of your products

NIGERIA
Standards Organisation ofNigeria Conformity Assessment
Program (SONCAP)SCOPESONCAP PROGRAM
Starting 2005, goods exported to Nigeria have undergone a Standards Organisation of
Nigeria Conformity Assessment Program (SONCAP) to Standards prior shipment.
Bureau Veritas has been appointed by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)for the Conformity Assessment Program. This program applies to specific goods (seebelow) under 2 schemes “Product Certificate (PC)” and “SONCAP Certificate (SC)”.
Global process overview for necessary certificates is as below:SHIPMENT TONIGERIASCPAAR
E-Form MPCOBJECTIVE

Ensuring that regulated products comply with the NIS or approved standards priorto export to Nigeria Protect consumers against dangerous, sub-standard andcounterfeit products

Providing a level playing field in terms of quality for both regulated and locallymanufactured products in order to prevent unfair competition.

Ease trade in Nigeria by preventing delays in clearance of Imported products at
Nigerian Ports and BordersEase trade in Nigeria by fast-tracking clearance via Pre-shipment Inspections.

Preventing the dumping of substandard goods in the Nigerian market and in turn,
preventing economic loss to the importer and the nation at large

Forestalling any adverse reaction (such as environmental pollution occasioned bydestruction of substandard products) by regulatory Agencies on arrival of such
goods in Nigeria

Encouraging genuine investors and investment in Nigeria

GROUP OF PRODUCTS COVERED

Chemical and petroleum products
Textile, leather, footwear plastic andrubber products
Furniture, arts and crafts
Toys, child care, sports, fitness, andrecreation productsElectrical (including ElectricalFittings) and Electronics products

LPG accessories for gas & kerosene stoves
Household, kitchen, stationery, tobacco andhygiene products
Automotive (Vehicles, motorcycles including
spare parts)
Construction material, mechanical products,
tools and petroleum applicances
Paper and stationery
Protective safety equipment

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PROCESSPRODUCT CERTIFICATION PROCESS OVERVIEWAPPLICATION/ PRODUCTPRODUCT
CERTIFICATE(PC)

VERIFICATIONEXPORTERNON – COMPLIANT

Testing.

Non Conformity
Report (NCR)

Documentary review

Step 1 : REQUEST FOR PRODUCT CERTIFICATEExporter / Importer lodges a Request for Product Certificate to a Bureau
Veritas local contact (Filling up of the Request For Certificate (RFC) Form).
Said request should include:
List, designation of goods intended to be exported, importer / exporter details



Conformity documents available (ex: Third party certificate, Test reports, Reports ofanalysis according to quality and safety standards)



Factory site inspection report (if available) conducted by a competent conformityassessment bodyProduct Certificate (if available) issued by a conformity assessment body appointedby SON

Copy of quality management system certificate of the exporter and/or manufacturer(if available)

Step 2 : ROUTES TO COMPLIANCE

To facilitate trade and adjust intervention to the risk, 3 different routes areavailable in Product certification scheme to demonstrate compliance; itdepends on the type of exporter:
Route A (Un-Registration): Any trader.

Route B (Registration): Any exporter or manufacturer/supplier with suitablevalid implemented Quality Management System

Route C (Licensing): Any manufacturer with suitable valid implemented Quality
Management System for the factory audited and inspected by Bureau Veritas

Step 3 : DOCUMENTARY REVIEW / TESTING
Bureau Veritas reviews all information provided and checks their adequacy
against Nigerian (NIS) or approved equivalent standards. Laboratory testing /analysis are conducted on samples if necessary.

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Step 4 : PRODUCT CERTIFICATE
Upon satisfactory results, Bureau Veritas issues an electronic Product
Certificate (PC); else, a Non-Conformity Report is produced. 3 types of PC
can be issued according to the route applied:Route A (Un-Registration) – PC 1: Single use and valid for 6 months

Route B (Registration) – PC 2: Multiple use and valid for 1 yearRoute C (Licensing) – PC 3: Multiple use and valid for 1 year

PRODUCT CERTIFICATE ACTIVATION OVERVIEWVALID PRODUCTCERTIFICATE (PC)NUMBER
IMPORTER
NAME

Activation of PC on:

e-FORM “M”(IMPORTLICENSE)

https://soncap.son.gov.ng/certificateA
ctivation/webform#VALID IMPORTER
TIN NUMBER
IMPORTER MOBILENUMBER

Step 5 : E-FORM M (IMPORT LICENSE)After obtaining the PC, importer visits the trade portal to activate it andcomplete the e-Form M application by inputting the required information to beable to submit the application to Nigeria Integrated Customs Information
System (NICIS). Therefore, electronic e-Form M is produced, if the submitted
information is valid.

SONCAP CERTIFICATION PROCESS OVERVIEWAPPLICATION/ SHIPMENTVERIFICATIONSONCAP
CERTIFICATE(SN)EXPORTERNON – COMPLIANT

Documentary review- Inspection- Witnessing the loadingand sealing FullContainer Load (FCL)Non Conformity Report(NCR)

Valid Product certificate(PC)Valid e-Form “M”

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Step 6 : REQUEST FOR SONCAP CERTIFICATE
Exporter / Importer lodges a Request for SONCAP Certificate to a Bureau
Veritas local contact (Filling up of the Request For Certificate (RFC) Form).
Said request should include:List, designation of goods intended to be exported, importer / exporter details



Valid Product Certificate issued by a conformity assessment body appointed bySON

Valid e-Form MFinal invoiceTransport document (Bill of Lading/Air Way Bill/ CMR…),( if available)

Importer’s Business Registration/RC Number and Tax Identification Number (TIN)Information related to local and provisional date of availability of goods to carry out
their physical inspection before shipment, witnessing the loading and sealing FCL.

Step 7 : INSPECTION
Bureau Veritas checks that:

Goods presented are those identified during the documentary review

Goods match their description in the provided PC, e-Form M and import / export
documents

Products comply with applicable standards marking requirements

If necessary, Bureau Veritas inspectors may take samples for additional assessment.

Witnessing the loading and sealing FCL (not applicable to air shipments and LCL)

Step 8 : FACILITATION ROUTES OF INSPECTION
3 different routes of inspection are available in SONCAP certification scheme
to demonstrate compliance; it depends on the type of PC provided for theshipped products:
 Route A (Un-Registration) – PC 1: Inspection process is systematic for eachconsignment.
Route B (Registration) – PC 2: Inspection process is required at least to 40 %of consignments shipped each 3 months.

Route C (Licensing) – PC 3: Inspection process is required at least once per 6months.

Step 9 : SONCAP CERTIFICATE
Bureau Veritas checks the inspection report (when inspection process isapplied) against the provided documents. Upon satisfactory results, anelectronic SONCAP Certificate (SC) is issued; else, a Non-Conformity Reportis produced.

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5SONCAP CERTIFICATE ACTIVATION OVERVIEWVALID SONCAP
CERTIFICATE (SC)NUMBER
IMPORTER
NAME

Activation of SC on:

https://soncap.son.gov.ng/certificateA
ctivation/webform#VALID IMPORTER
TIN NUMBER

PRE-ARRIVAL
ASSESSMENTREPORT (PAAR)

IMPORTER MOBILENUMBER

Step 10 : PRE-ARRIVAL ASSESSMENT REPORT (PAAR)
After obtaining the SC, importer visits the trade portal to activate it andcomplete the PAAR application by inputting the required information to beable to submit the application to Nigeria Integrated Customs Information
System (NICIS). Therefore, electronic PAAR is produced, if the submitted
information is valid.

Step 11: CUSTOMS/SONThe SONCAP Certificate (SC) is a mandatory input in the Nigeria Customs
Service clearance documentation in Nigeria for its Pre-arrival Assessment
Report (PAAR). Customs/SON may inspect/test the certified consignments
upon arrival.

Your Fast Track for Worldwide Trade
Find list of contacts and detailed information about the program on
Nigeria – Flyer – E – Ed 1.6

https://verigates.bureauveritas.com
For additional information please contact:
Bureau Veritas

Isioma Alabi

Tel :+234 09169983287

isioma.alabi@bureauveritas.com
soncap@bureauveritas.com

Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)Tel: +234- 080 02 25 57 66+234- 070 56 99 00 99
info@son.gov.ng
http://son.gov.ng/+234-08172241670 / 8095559235

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