During SONCAP Certification, clients may refer to the following names: PC, SC, and COC.
These terms are slightly different, but in most cases they mean the same thing, that to get mandatory certification for a product to be sold in Nigeria, for imported products, is to go through Nigerian customs.

Here are a few concepts to distinguish:

SON-Standards Organisation of Nigeria, a standard organization of Nigeria.
This is a Nigerian government agency, also known as the Nigerian Standards Authority.
In January 2013, SON officially released a new SONCAP procedure with a revised Full Conformity Assessment Structure.

SONCAP-Standards Organization of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme, a Nigeria standard organization for conformity assessment program.
SONCAP is a procedure and basis issued by SON to assess whether a product meets Nigeria's minimum safety standards.

PC-Product Certificate, mandatory. Obtaining a PC Certificate is the first step to complete in the SONCAP process.
The SONCAP conformity assessment procedure requires a PC certificate to apply for a SONCAP certificate, which is also a prerequisite for the Nigerian importer to obtain the FORMM. Some banks even need to present the PC certificate before issuing a letter of credit.

FORMM-A form that is similar to the import declaration form used by the importer to apply for the SONCAP certificate.

SC-SONCAP Certification. It is the certificate that the importer applies for before shipment through PC certificate and FORMM, and finally gets after submitting the bill of lading after shipment. It is also the certificate that is finally handed over to the customs for customs clearance.

COC-Certificate of conformity, means product single batch certificate, single batch valid.
This step has been removed from the latest process, but it has been in the SONCAP process for some time and is often mentioned.


Introduction to SONCAP Certification
As can be seen from the analysis of the above differentiated concepts, SONCAP certification is to conduct a step-by-step review of the products applying for certification in accordance with the SONCAP conformity assessment procedure issued by SON to confirm whether the products meet the minimum safety standards for imported products from Nigeria.After passing the test of this procedure, the qualified certificate will be issued.
Specifically, for an import trade, the SONCAP Certificate is ultimately used by the importer to go to the Nigerian customs for clearance.
All control product mark arrived in Nigeria (port, airport, land border), such as no SONCAP Certificate will be the customs refused to release, carried out in accordance with the requirements of the goods in Nigeria, sampling and testing, exporters/importers will bear all the expenses (sampling, testing, railway fee), may end up in the face of the goods confiscated destroyed.


Detailed SONCAP Certification process and required information
According to the latest Nigerian Standards (SON) certification process, SONCAP Certification is obtained in three steps:
1. Obtain PC certificate, which is used for Nigerian importer to apply for FORMMNO., and exporter to apply for SONCAP certificate for batch shipment.
There are three modes for PC certificates, which are described in more detail later.
The information to be provided is as follows:
Apply for company business license
The application form
Product pictures (Mechanical and electrical products with instructions and assembly drawings)
Product internal test report
Third party laboratory product test report (17025 qualified laboratory using the relevant standard test)

2. Obtain the FormM (obtained by the importer from the local bank through the PC certificate)

3. Earn a SONCAP Certificate
Apply for SONCAP certification before each shipment, make an appointment for pre-shipment inspection, send the certificate to the importer and handle customs clearance together with other documents.
The information required is as follows:
PC certificate
FORMM
The application form
Invoice
Packing list
Product photos
The bill of lading

PS: The center provides a fast channel for all packages to obtain certificates quickly. For details, please contact the professional engineer.

SONCAP regulates scope
The following products are currently regulated by SONCAP:
Toys, electrical and electronic products that can be used by the public e.g. in residential, office, retail, leisure, etc. (including but not limited to, electrical appliances, IT products, communication products, lighting products, audio-visual products, etc.), used cars, car spare parts, car tires, car glass, car spare parts, chemical products (such as oil, paint, asphalt, and the school of chalk, kitchenware and tableware, construction and building materials, mechanical equipment and fuel gas appliances (such as galvanized steel product, taps and valves, ceramic and sanitary ware, condole top, gas canisters, kerosene stove and hurricane lamp, aluminum products, machinery and backpack, sprayer, electric pressure cooker, cement and plaster, etc.), paper and stationery, security protection equipment (such as fire fighting equipment, electronic safety equipment, etc.), textiles and textile products, footwear, medical equipment, furniture, arts and handicrafts, leather, plastic and rubber products

SONCAP does not apply to the following products:
Food, medicines (traditional Chinese medicine), medical examination equipment and machinery, chemicals used as raw materials, military sanitary ware and equipment, used cars and other goods classified as contraband by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The above is just a list of the categories of products, specific products please provide information to our certified engineers inquiry!

SONCAP Certificate Acquisition Scheme
Route A, for Unregistered/Unauthorized Products (Conformity Verification)
Every shipment of goods to be imported must be sampled, inspected, supervised and sealed.
The steps of this method are as follows:
Step 1: Obtain PC1, Product Certificate 1 (unregistered status)
Product Certificate 1 (unregistered status), valid for 6 months, will be issued by the IAF body after the following steps are completed
- Inspection, basic factory inspection
- Product Sampling: Samples submitted for testing shall be (I) taken by the IAF Authority or (ii) taken under the supervision of the IAF Authority.

Step 2: Test report
The test report must be issued by:
- Certified laboratory by ISO17025
- Factory tested in the presence of IAF agencies

Step 3: Obtain a SONCAP Certificate (SC)
- Receive the qualified test report as required in Step 2
- Satisfactory final inspection.
- Receipt of qualified final relevant documents

In the event of non-compliance with test or inspection requirements, the IAF body shall issue a non-conformance report.

Route B: Registered Product (Passed Registration and Compliance Check)
Product registration is to do the following types of product testing and evaluation of the manufacturer's quality system to determine that the product is consistently produced with the same quality under the guidance of the applicable standards and under the necessary system controls.
The steps should be as follows:
Step 1: Obtain PC2, Product Certificate 2 (Registration Status)
Product Certificate 2 (PC2), valid for one year, is issued by the IAF Agency after factory inspection.
To be certified through Routeb, the factory or exporter must have a good export record at Routea (at least four fully compliant transactions).
Step 2: Test report
The test report must be issued by:
- Certified laboratory by ISO17025
- Factory tested in the presence of IAF agencies
Step 3: Obtain a SONCAP Certificate (SC)
- Receive the qualified test report as required in Step 2
- Satisfactory final commodity inspection (where at least 40% of quarterly shipments are inspected)
- Receipt of qualified final relevant documents

In the event of non-compliance with test or inspection requirements, the IAF body shall issue a non-conformance report.


Route C: For licensed products (Product Certification System)
Licensing of a product is based on detailed evaluation of the product, including testing and factory audits and periodic supervisory audits.
The product will be licensed if it complies with the relevant NIS or equivalent approval.
However, at least twice a year, pre-shipment inspection, i.e. written review, process evaluation, facility inspection, consignment shipment, verification test inspection, supervision of FCL shipments and sealing meeting, to ensure conformity is maintained.
Licensing is granted only to the manufacturer of the product, not to exporters or other suppliers.
The steps are as follows:
Step 1: Obtain PC3, Product Certificate 3 (License Status)
Product Certificate (PC3), valid for one year, issued by the IAF Agency after factory inspection.
Manufacturers who can be promoted to Routec through Routeb must be based on a good compliance record (minimum of four full compliance transactions and two factory validations)

Step 2: Test report
The test report, issued by the manufacturer or an accredited laboratory, is submitted to the IAF body for certification of each authorized product.

Step 3: Obtain a SONCAP Certificate (SC)
- Receive the qualified test report as required in Step 2
- Satisfactory final inspection of goods (at least once every six months for shipment).
- Receipt of qualified final relevant documents

In the event of non-compliance with test or inspection requirements, the IAF body shall issue a non-conformance report.

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