To clear your goods before importing to Nigeria, the first SONCAP step is to obtain your Product Certificate (PC). But among the three types of PCs, which one corresponds to your profile? Read on to find out.
The product certificate (PC) is the first certificate issued during the SONCAP certification process.It is used in the opening of the Form M and issued to the exporter, as only his details are stated on the certificate.
There are three types of PCs:
1. Product Certificate - Unregistered (PCU):Valid for 6 months from the date of issuance and is allowed for single shipment issuance only.
Only 1 SC can be issued for each PCU. It is for infrequent exporters and traders with High-risk products & exporter profile.
The documents required for PCU Issuance are:
- Request Form/ Product Review Form
- Invoice (Proforma or Final – if available)
- Product Test Reports (from an accredited lab)
- QMS certificates (if available)
- Product Licenses (if available)
2. Product Certificate – Registered (PCR):Valid for a period of 1 year and for Multiple shipments. It is for frequent exporters with QMS and Low-risk exporter profile.
The documents required for PCR Issuance are:
- Request Form/ Product Review Form
- Product Test Reports (in-house/ from accredited lab)
- QMS certificates
- Product Licenses (if available)
3. Product Certificate – Licensed (PCL): Validity of 1 year and Multiple shipment. This route is only available to manufacturers, official distributors and brand owners. This route reduces the needs for physical inspection to 1 shipment every 6 months.
The documents required for PCL Issuance are:
- Request Form/ Product Review Form
- Product Test Reports (in-house/ from accredited lab)
- QMS certificates
- Product Licenses (if available)
- Factory audit report (Discretion can be applied here, depending on the brand or manufacturers’ reputation)
Please also note, that following SON’s recent announcement, as of 1st August 2022, the fees of the PCs will be the following:
| Type of Product Certificate | Fees in USD per certificate | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| Product Certificate Unregistered- PC(U) | 500 | 6 months |
| Product Certificate Registered - PC(R) | 1,000 | 1 year |
| Product Certificate Licensing - PC (L) | 2,000 | 1 year |
Please note that as a trusted partner of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), our mandate allows us to accompany exporters and importers throughout the entire conformity assessment process and assist them in obtaining the mandatory Product and SONCAP Certificates (PC & SC). Therefore, should you need assistance on obtaining your Product Certiicate and these 2 certificates, please contact us
About Cotecna
For over 50 years, we have been supporting agriculture, food and pharma, minerals and metals, and consumer products supply chains all over the world. We provide testing, inspection, and certification services to help our clients navigate evolving regulations, ensure product compliance, and support their sustainability journey.