To import tiles to Nigeria from India you work with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and its SONCAP conformity programme, and to import tiles to Ghana you work with the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA). Each country has a certificate step before the goods ship, and both need a customs import declaration opened early.
The SON Nigeria tile requirement and the Ghana equivalent both change, so treat this as a map and confirm each step with your clearing agent.
How does SONCAP work for Nigeria?
SONCAP produces two certificates. The Product Certificate is needed to process the import form, called Form M, and the SONCAP Certificate for each shipment is needed for customs clearance. SON-appointed accredited firms handle the application. Depending on the route, the product certificate is issued with a factory audit and ongoing inspection, or with inspection of each consignment.
Certification bodies describe three routes with different inspection frequencies, and the shipment certificate normally needs a satisfactory test report from an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory and the Form M number with the declared HS code. SON's pages do not name tiles in the sources we found, so ask an accredited partner whether your tile type is covered, and which route applies. See country-specific tile certifications.
What is changing in Ghana?
A German trade report dated July 2026 says the GSA took over from private inspection firms the pre-export conformity programme, with effect from 1 July 2026. We found this in a single source. The GSA also lists building materials among its higher-risk goods for import inspection, and importers must register with the GSA.
Whether tiles are inspected before shipment or on arrival, and which standard is used, should be confirmed with the GSA or your Ghanaian clearing agent before you order. Do not rely on an older pre-shipment datasheet.
What about duty?
Both countries apply the ECOWAS common external tariff, plus national levies and charges. The rates and any import restrictions change with the finance acts and customs notices, so we do not quote a figure. Ask your broker for the current rate and levies for the exact 6907 code, which depends on the water absorption in the test report.
Also ask whether any trade remedy or import restriction applies to tiles of Indian origin at the date of order.
How should you handle port clearance and payment?
Most tile cargo for Nigeria clears in Lagos, and for Ghana at Tema. Clearance in both can be slow when documents are late or inconsistent, which adds demurrage cost. Payment practice also matters. Foreign-exchange availability and bank rules can delay payments, and a supplier will price that risk.
Read the safest payment terms for tile imports and tie the final payment to inspection and the conformity certificates. Keep the document set consistent using the tile export documents list.
Ask your Nigerian or Ghanaian clearing agent to review draft documents before the vessel sails. In Nigeria, a Form M that does not match the invoice in HS code, value or supplier is a common cause of delay, and fixing it after arrival costs time at the port.
Next step
We confirm the route with the certification partner, make sure the factory holds the right test reports and supervise loading so the cargo matches the certificates. To plan a West African order, book a free sourcing review.