Appliance Import Playbooks: Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Iraq

Nigeria PRIORITY MARKET

Demand220M+ people, washer penetration under 40% — laundry is the entry category, kitchen follows

Stock what movesTwin tubs 8–10kg, heavy-duty blenders (Silver Crest-type), rechargeable fans, microwaves, local-adapter kitchen lines

Port & transitLagos Apapa / Tin Can · 28–38 days from Guangzhou

Typical duty10–20% by HS code + 7.5% VAT (broker confirms)

ComplianceBuyer opens Form M at an authorized bank (needs PI + SONCAP product certificate + insurance) → PAAR before arrival

Payment realityUSD T/T; FX windows can delay buyers, keep quotes valid 7 days, price in USD only

Hard ban: used compressors, used air conditioners, used fridges/freezers are on Nigeria's import prohibition list. We do not ship them, don't let any supplier talk you into a "special arrangement".

Our edge here: Grade B twin tubs clear fastest in Lagos volume markets; Grade A moves in premium shops on the island. See the grading guide.

Ghana

Open the market playbook →

DemandAccra + Kumasi trade rings; strong re-sale culture, price-sensitive outside Accra

Stock what movesWashers (semi-auto strong upcountry), kitchen sets, fans, microwaves

Port & transitTema · 30–38 days

Typical duty10–20% + VAT band

ComplianceEnergy Commission rules, used refrigerators/ACs banned since 2013 (energy + refrigerant grounds)

Payment realityCedi volatility, 7-day quote validity is discipline, not a trick

Tema clearance is generally smoother than Lagos, good first-market for a trial container.

Kenya & EAC (Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda)

Open the market playbook →

DemandNairobi (Luthuli Ave trade cluster) + regional redistribution; growing middle-tier demand for Grade A used & new OEM

Stock what movesGrade A used washers, new OEM kitchen, solar/DC lines for upcountry grid gaps

Port & transitMombasa · 25–32 days; inland rail/road to Kampala/Kigali adds 1–2 weeks

Typical dutyEAC common external tariff ~25% + 16% VAT on finished goods

ComplianceEAC MEPS 2025 (EAS 1213/1214) now phases in efficiency floors for ACs & fridges, old cooling is dead here too; PVoC conformity for new lines

Payment realityUSD T/T straightforward; longer distribution cycles, plan reorder cadence at 6–8 weeks

Don't ship cooling into EAC on old specs — MEPS phase-in will strand your stock at clearance or on the shelf.

Iraq HIGH-MARGIN, SPECIAL HANDLING

DemandReconstruction + summer heat: cooling, water heaters, kitchen rebuild demand is real and cash-heavy

Stock what movesNew portable/window AC (summer peak, order 3 months ahead), instant water heaters, kitchen lines, coffee equipment for the café boom

Port & transitUmm Qasr · 18–25 days; Baghdad/Basra clearance via local agent

Typical duty5–15% + local fees

ComplianceLighter import regime, but documentation discipline matters for bank transfers

Payment realityCentral bank restrictions keep many Iraqi banks off USD rails — the working structure is payment from the buyer's UAE/Jordan/Turkey entity. We screen paying banks against restricted lists before accepting

Never accept "my cousin will send from a personal account". Same-name corporate payment or no deal, read the Iraq guide before your first order.

Margin kicker: cooling & water-heater lines to Iraq typically carry the highest markup multipliers of our five markets (1.4–1.9× on landed).

Philippines

Open the market playbook →

DemandYoung population, strong remittance spending, e-commerce heavy (Shopee/Lazada/TikTok)

Stock what movesNew OEM kitchen & laundry; used lines are a case-by-case clearance question, verify per shipment

Port & transitManila · 7–12 days, the cheapest freight of all our markets

Typical duty0–10% + 12% VAT (ASEAN rates vary by HS code)

ComplianceDTI-BPS mandatory certification (ICC) for household appliances; new lines need certs arranged, we prep CB/CE files from factory

Payment realityStandard USD T/T; small trial LCLs are practical here

The catch: 220V / 60Hz. China-domestic 50Hz compressor products misbehave, for PH we spec 60Hz-rated motors/compressors on new lines. We mark every line's frequency on the quote.

Side-by-side snapshot

Freight & duty indications updated Sep 2026 · re-quoted at order time · written quotes hold 7 days.

Market	Ocean freight 40'HQ	Duty band	Transit	Best starter mix	Watch out
Lagos	$3,000–4,000	10–20% + 7.5% VAT	28–38 d	Grade B twin tubs + blenders + new microwaves	Used cooling banned; FX delays
Tema	$2,800–3,500	10–20% + VAT	30–38 d	Semi-auto washers + kitchen sets	Cedi swings; used-cooling ban
Mombasa	$2,500–3,500	~25% + 16% VAT	25–32 d	Grade A washers + solar/DC lines	EAC MEPS on cooling
Umm Qasr	$2,500–4,500	5–15% + fees	18–25 d	New AC + water heaters + coffee	Pay via UAE entity; bank screening
Manila	$1,000–1,800	0–10% + 12% VAT	7–12 d	New OEM kitchen + 60Hz laundry	60Hz spec; ICC certification

Freight = recent market bands for 40'HQ, port-to-port; they move monthly, we re-quote at order time. Duty bands are planning references, not legal advice.

Markets

Nigeria PRIORITY MARKET

Ghana

Kenya & EAC (Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda)

Iraq HIGH-MARGIN, SPECIAL HANDLING

Philippines

Side-by-side snapshot

Your market, your numbers, in writing