Getting a SONCAP certificate used to be the last step before clearance. Since March 2026, it is not.
What changed on 27 March 2026
From 27 Mar 2026, SON added a new layer to the import process. Import permits and SONCAP applications now need activation through the Nigeria Single Window, on top of the certificate itself.
Before this date, a certificate alone was enough to move goods through clearance. That is no longer true.
Where certificates are still generated
The certificate itself has not moved. Firms SON has approved still generate SONCAP certificates on SON's own portal, the same as before. Our SONCAP cost guide covers that fee and process in full.
What changed sits one step later, after the certificate is issued.
What activation on the NSW adds
Once your certificate is generated, it now needs to be activated through the Nigeria Single Window at nsw.gov.ng. Skipping this step leaves your paperwork incomplete, even with a valid certificate in hand.
Think of it as a second checkpoint layered on top of the first, not a replacement for it. Both steps now sit between your certificate and a cleared shipment, where only one used to.
What this means for your Form M and PAAR
Form M, the PAAR, and clearance itself now depend on that NSW activation going through. An importer who completes SONCAP but skips the NSW step risks a hold at the point of clearance, not at the certificate stage.
This catches out businesses used to the pre-2026 process the most. A workflow that worked in 2025 may now be missing a step, even if every other part of the paperwork is correct.
Clearing agents who handle a high volume of shipments have mostly adjusted already. A smaller importer handling its own paperwork is more likely to be caught out by the extra step.
What to check before your next shipment
Before your next shipment leaves origin, confirm three things: the SONCAP certificate is issued, it is activated on the Nigeria Single Window, and your Form M and PAAR reflect that activation.
If you use a clearing agent, ask them directly whether this step is part of their process, rather than assuming it is automatic.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the certificate alone is enough. It was, before 27 Mar 2026. It is not now.
- Treating NSW activation as the clearing agent's problem alone. Confirm it yourself, since a hold at the port is your delay, not theirs.
- Not updating an old process. A workflow built before 2026 may be missing this step entirely.
- Leaving activation until the goods have arrived. Complete it alongside the certificate, before shipping, not after.
For what happens without a certificate at all, see what happens if you import without SONCAP. The rest of this series is on the SME regulators hub.