The SONCAP certificate is a legally required document for controlled products to go through the customs clearance procedures in Nigeria. The absence of a SONCAP certificate will result in delays in the customs clearance of controlled products or their rejection from entering the Nigerian domestic market. It is particularly important to note that SONCAP applies to controlled products, and other import procedures stipulated by the Nigerian government remain valid.
The Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) is the government agency in Nigeria responsible for formulating and implementing quality standards for imported goods and products manufactured domestically. To ensure that controlled products comply with the country's technical standards that have been approved for implementation or other international standards, and to protect Nigerian consumers from being harmed by unsafe or non-compliant products, the Standard Organization of Nigeria has decided to implement a mandatory pre-shipment conformity assessment program (hereinafter referred to as SONCAP) for controlled products exported to the country.
After SONCAP has been implemented in Nigeria for many years, according to the latest notice, a new SONCAP policy will be implemented starting from April 1st, 2013. Compared with the previous SONCAP, there are significant changes. Exporters no longer need to apply for SONCAP for each shipment. Instead, they should apply for a COC. After obtaining the COC, the exporter should provide it to the importer, who will then apply for an SC. The SC should be directly applied for by the importer at the local SONCAP institution. In addition, on-site sampling for testing, inspection of goods, and supervision of loading are required according to the risk category requirements of the products.