Insights & Field Guides
Everything we know about this trade, written down: markets, categories, payment safety, quality, logistics and growth, with numbers, not adjectives.
This month at Apex
Dated updates: batches landed, freight moved, rules changed. All blog updates →
Know the ground before you ship
Importing a washing-machine container to Nigeria: Form M, SONCAP, real costs
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GHANA
Importing appliances through Tema Port: clearance, costs, timing
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KENYA / EAC
Kenya & EAC appliance rules 2026: what the new MEPS mean for your stock
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EGYPT
Egypt appliance imports: ACID, CargoX and how the paperwork really works
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PHILIPPINES
Selling appliances to the Philippines: DTI certification and the 60Hz catch
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FRANCOPHONE
Francophone West Africa: the appliance trade nobody writes about
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SÉNÉGAL
Dakar dispatch: what Sénégal’s appliance market actually buys
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IRAQ
The Iraq appliance market: what Baghdad & Basra wholesalers buy, and how to get paid
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NIGERIA · NEW LINES
SONCAP for new appliances to Nigeria: a step-by-step walkthrough
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Move money without losing it
The 8-point checklist to verify a Chinese appliance supplier before you pay
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FRAUD
The bank account change scam: how it works and the rule that beats it
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DOCUMENTS
Proforma invoice anatomy: the 12 fields that protect your money
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TERMS
Why 30/70 payment terms protect importers (not just exporters)
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MECHANICS
T/T wire transfer to China, step by step: from PI to cleared funds
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INCOTERMS
FOB vs CIF vs EXW: Incoterms for appliance containers, explained properly
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FX RISK
Currency risk: how naira and cedi importers protect their margins
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LOGISTICS
LCL vs FCL: the real math for your first appliance order
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Know exactly what you’re loading
Grade A vs B vs C: what actually sells out first in West Africa
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TESTING
The 27-point testing checklist we run on every used washing machine
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DEFECTS
The seven defects that hide inside used washing machines
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INSPECTION
How to inspect your container by video before releasing the balance
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MYTHS
Five myths about used appliances that cost West African importers money
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AFTER-SALES
The 3–5% spare parts box: the cheapest warranty you will ever buy
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WARRANTY
Used appliance warranties: how claims actually get resolved across borders
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From factory floor to your port, without surprises
Ocean freight rates from China to Africa: why they move and how to buy them smarter
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LOADING
Container loading math: exactly what fits in a 40’HQ
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INSURANCE
Cargo insurance for appliance containers: what to cover and what it costs
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PORT FEES
Demurrage: the fee that eats containers, and the calendar that beats it
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DECLARATIONS
Honest declarations: used goods, Basel rules and your clean customs record
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Stock the winners, build the machine
Your first 90 days: a container importer’s operating plan
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PRICING
Pricing your stock: the local market math importers get wrong
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GROWTH
From one container to a business: building the repeat machine
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LAUNDRY
Twin tub vs front load: the stocking math for African markets
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SOLAR / DC
Solar and DC appliances: the off-grid opportunity growing every year
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COFFEE
The Middle East coffee equipment boom: an importer’s playbook
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Reading is step one
When the numbers make sense, ask for a live batch tour on video call, 15 minutes, no obligation.