Shipping Cars to Apapa Port, Lagos
Nigeria · UN/LOCODE NGAPP
Apapa Port sits on Lagos Harbour at the mouth of the Badagry Creek and is Nigeria's busiest gateway for used and new vehicle imports. Operated by APM Terminals Apapa and the Nigerian Ports Authority, it handles the vast majority of RORO and containerised car shipments from the UK bound for Lagos and onward distribution across south-west Nigeria. See our shipping to Nigeria guide or request a quote.
Services
RORO, Container (FCL & shared), Breakbulk
Transit Time
18–24 days from Southampton or Tilbury, depending on carrier rotation and any transhipment via Tema or Las Palmas
UK Ports
Southampton, Tilbury, Sheerness
Region
Africa
Overview
Apapa Port sits on Lagos Harbour at the mouth of the Badagry Creek and is Nigeria's busiest gateway for used and new vehicle imports. Operated by APM Terminals Apapa and the Nigerian Ports Authority, it handles the vast majority of RORO and containerised car shipments from the UK bound for Lagos and onward distribution across south-west Nigeria. Congestion on the Apapa-Oshodi expressway and the harbour approach channel remains a known factor, so The Ship Cars builds realistic dwell-time buffers into every Lagos booking.
Terminal & Vessel Facilities
Vehicles discharge at the Roll-on/Roll-off berths operated by Grimaldi and other West Africa RORO carriers, or via the general cargo/container terminals run by APM Terminals and ENL Consortium. The port has dedicated vehicle marshalling yards, though space is limited, which is why containerised shipments (especially for higher-value cars) are increasingly preferred over open RORO decks for security reasons.
Typical Transit Time from the UK
18–24 days from Southampton or Tilbury, depending on carrier rotation and any transhipment via Tema or Las Palmas.
UK departure ports served: Southampton, Tilbury, Sheerness.
Customs & Clearance Notes
Nigerian Customs requires a Form M, SONCAP certificate and PAAR (Pre-Arrival Assessment Report) before the vessel arrives. Import duty plus levies on used cars can reach 35% of the assessed value, and vehicles older than 12 years are restricted from importation by sea under current NPA/Customs policy. We recommend clearing agents registered with the Apapa Customs Command to avoid demurrage.
Collection & Storage
Free storage at Apapa is typically limited to 3–7 days after discharge before daily demurrage and terminal storage charges apply, so we advise clients to have their clearing agent and duty payment ready in advance. The Ship Cars can arrange bonded storage nearby in Apapa/Ijora while paperwork is finalised.