Export Licence in Nigeria: NEPC Registration, Costs and Documents

CredaBiz Export Series · Part 2 of 6. Sources checked 30 October 2026. Requirements depend on your product, destination and shipment.

Many Nigerians searching for an “export licence” are looking for an NEPC Exporter’s Registration Certificate. That is an important starting point, but it does not certify your product’s quality, clear your cargo or grant access to every foreign market.

Think of export compliance as several connected decisions: who the exporter is, what is being shipped, how the transaction is recorded and whether the destination will admit the goods.

Which registration are you applying for?

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council handles exporter registration through its official e-registration portal. Start there rather than an unofficial site claiming to issue government certificates.

Your CAC certificate establishes your business identity. The exporter’s certificate serves a different purpose. Neither replaces product-specific approvals or customs procedures.

What documents does a limited liability company need?

NEPC’s published company checklist names the incorporation certificate, memorandum and articles, directors’ particulars or status report, and a board resolution bearing the company seal. Confirm acceptable current CAC document formats in the live application before uploading. Other entity types have different checklists.

Do not create a new company merely because an online guide assumes every applicant is a limited company. If you operate under another legal form, ask NEPC which registration category and supporting records it accepts for that form.

How much does NEPC registration cost?

The live portal lists these figures, excluding Remita/bank charges. They are not CredaBiz fees and do not represent the total cost of starting an export business. Check the payable amount before paying.

How long does the certificate last?

NEPC’s current registration guidance states an initial validity of 24 months, followed by annual renewal. An older government trade-portal entry says 18 months. Use NEPC’s current instructions and the dates printed on your issued certificate; obtain clarification if they disagree.

The issuer also describes a one-working-day service target after payment confirmation, subject to complete and correct information. That is not a guaranteed end-to-end approval time or a promise a service provider should make on NEPC’s behalf.

A sensible application sequence

First, reconcile the business details. Check the legal name, registration number and contact information against the actual corporate documents. Resolve differences before they spread into bank and trade records.

Second, identify the correct application category and gather the requested files. Scan them legibly. Check that every page is present, names are consistent and resolutions have been properly authorised.

Third, create and control the applicant account. Use a monitored business email and retain access within the company. If someone helps with the application, agree who owns the account and receives renewal notices.

Fourth, complete the application and pay only through the instructed official channel. Retain the reference and follow the portal’s payment-confirmation process. A debit alert alone does not prove that the application has recognised the payment.

Finally, download the issued certificate, inspect its details and save a renewal reminder. Keep the official document intact. Make a separately redacted copy if you need a public version; do not circulate identity documents or director records as marketing material.

What comes after registration?

Create a requirements matrix for the exact product. Use these headings:

An agricultural commodity, packaged food, cosmetic ingredient and mineral should not share an identical checklist simply because they all leave Nigeria.

Avoid paying for the wrong thing

Ask any adviser to separate government fees, professional charges and shipment costs. The quote should identify the specific authority and deliverable. “Export approval package” is too vague if it does not explain what the package includes.

Treat guaranteed approvals, guaranteed foreign buyers and requests to pay an unverified individual account as reasons to stop and investigate. Independently confirm payment instructions through the authority’s published channel.

Frequently asked questions

Is CAC registration enough to begin shipping?

It establishes business identity, but does not settle the exporter-registration, banking, product or shipment requirements. Build the complete route around the actual transaction.

Does registration include NAFDAC approval?

No. A separate authority may regulate your product. Determine the applicable pathway before promising delivery.

Can I apply online?

NEPC’s exporter registration is online. Use its official portal and follow the current instructions for your entity type.

Get your company records ready

CredaBiz can help with the company-side preparation through business registration, post-incorporation filings, and compliance planning. Ask for a defined scope. NEPC decides exporter-registration applications; sector regulators decide their own approvals.

Read next: Part 3, What Can You Export from Nigeria? Major Commodities and Product Selection.

Primary sources: NEPC registration guidance; NEPC portal and fees; NEPC 2026 service agreement; older portal entry showing the validity discrepancy. Checked 30 October 2026.

Start with Part 1: How to Start Exporting from Nigeria.