No spin. Turkish knitwear is not duty-advantaged into Nigeria — and neither is China. Here's how the ECOWAS tariff actually works, the import process, and how to think about landed cost.
Let's be straight: there is no Nigeria–Türkiye free trade agreement, so Turkish sweaters enter Nigeria under the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) — the same regional tariff schedule Nigeria applies to most origins to protect domestic industry. Apparel duty is not low: knitwear commonly sits around 20% in duty, with import levies and VAT on top, and some textile lines run higher. We'd rather you hear that from us than discover it on a PAAR.
The number that matters isn't any single rate — it's that Türkiye and China land in the same place. Both pay the full CET, so there is no customs gap between origins:
| Cost layer | From Türkiye | From China |
|---|---|---|
| ECOWAS CET import duty (knitwear, Ch. 61) | Full rate (~20%) | Full rate (~20%) |
| Import levies / surcharges | Apply | Apply |
| VAT on landed value | Applies | Applies |
| FTA / tariff preference | None | None |
Indicative only — rates and levies vary by HS code and fibre, some textile lines run higher, and policy changes. Confirm your exact HS code and current landed duty with a licensed Nigerian customs agent.
Importing knitwear into Nigeria is paperwork-first. As the importer, you are responsible for the compliance chain, and getting it right keeps goods moving:
Open a Form M through your authorised dealer bank on the Trade Portal before shipment. It's the foundation document for the whole import — no Form M, no clean clearance.
Customs issues a Pre-Arrival Assessment Report against your Form M and documents. The PAAR sets the assessed value and duty — it's where your landed-cost assumptions get tested.
Regulated products need a SONCAP certificate and must meet SON standards and labelling rules. Confirm whether your specific knitwear lines require it before you ship.
Nigeria requires the marine insurance to be placed locally with a Nigerian insurer, and entries are filed electronically through NICIS II. Your customs agent handles the filing.
The trap is comparing two FOB quotes and stopping there. Your real number is landed cost: take the FOB price ex-Mersin, add ocean freight and local Nigerian marine insurance to get CIF Lagos, then add duty, levies, VAT, port and clearing charges on the CIF value. Because duty is the same percentage whoever you buy from, the higher-value supplier carries a slightly higher duty in absolute Naira — but the unit you actually sell, the reject rate and the reorder accuracy usually move your margin far more than that. Currency matters too: the Naira is volatile, so contracts are commonly written in USD with an LC.
We do not beat China on Nigerian import duty — it's parity, both pay the full CET — and China wins on rock-bottom unit cost at huge volumes. Where Türkiye competes is the rest of the picture: European-grade flat-knit and WHOLEGARMENT, a 250-piece MOQ, English-language specs and documentation that keep customs paperwork clean, Turkish-brand familiarity across Africa, and roughly 10–14 days of ocean freight to Lagos. Duty is one line on the cost sheet; we compete on the others.
Send your styles and quantities. We'll quote ex-works, and with your customs agent's duty figure you can build a true landed cost into Lagos and compare it honestly against your current sourcing.