| Item | Nigeria | Source and date seen |
|---|---|---|
| Regulator | NAFDAC (National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control): the DR&R Directorate for dietary supplements, the FR&RA Directorate for food | NAFDAC guideline index, 22 October 2026 |
| Applicant | A company registered in Nigeria with the Corporate Affairs Commission. One online application for each product on the NAPAMS portal | NAFDAC guidelines R&R-GDL-007-01 and FR&RA-GDL-001-01, 22 October 2026 |
| Time to a registration number | Supplements: 120 working days. Food: 180 working days under the guideline effective 1 March 2026 | The same two guidelines, 22 October 2026 |
| Validity of the certificate | Supplements: 5 years or 2 years, as the guideline words it. Food: 5 years | The same two guidelines, 22 October 2026 |
| Label | English, with other languages allowed beside it. The registration number and the registration holder are on the pack | NAFDAC pre-packaged food labelling text (2019) and supplement label guidance, 22 October 2026 |
| Papers from the country of manufacture | Certificate of Free Sale and Certificate of Manufacture with Nigerian Embassy or High Commission authentication. A notarised manufacturing agreement or power of attorney | NAFDAC guidelines, Appendix 1 and section 3, 22 October 2026 |
| Excise on sweetened drinks | N10 per litre since 1 June 2022. KPMG Nigeria reads the 2022 regulations as reaching powders, tablets and concentrates for dilution | KPMG Nigeria, December 2022 (regulations); TheCable, 24 June 2022 (start of collection); seen 22 October 2026 |
| WHO storage reference | 30 °C at 65% relative humidity, a yardstick drafted for medicines | WHO table of March 2021, seen 22 October 2026 |
Rows were checked on 22 October 2026. NAFDAC's supplement guideline carries a review date of 12 December 2026, so this page is re-checked before then. Your importer confirms the version in force on the day the file is lodged. Each row is explained step by step in the registration guide for importers and factories. The open points are listed there too.
What does an importer in Nigeria order from FIZZPHARMA?
An importer chooses among four formats. Each is printed with your brand and made from a ready-made formula or from your own:
- effervescent tablets in tubes
- drink cubes with a blister apiece
- electrolyte products
- powder sachets
The minimum order is low on every format. Minimum order and lead time lists how the minimum is counted for each format. Every line below shows what to plan for in time or risk.
| If you sell | Then | What to plan for |
|---|---|---|
| An effervescent tablet in a tube | The supplement route of the DR&R Directorate fits the draft definition of a tablet | Time: 120 working days to a registration number |
| A drink cube or an electrolyte product | The choice between supplement and food is for NAFDAC; the food route has its own guideline | Time: your importer settles the route before the label is drawn, and food runs to 180 working days |
| A private label brand | A manufacturing agreement with the factory goes into the file, notarised where the product is made | Time: the agreement is signed and notarised before the file is lodged |
| A vitamin or mineral formula | The 2025 draft lists permitted forms and a 15% minimum of the nutrient reference value per declared nutrient | Risk: the formula is checked against the final text with your importer before the first batch |
| One range in Nigeria and a French-speaking market | English on the Nigerian label, the language of the other market on its own | Time: two artwork versions, each approved by you |
| A drink-type product with a sweetener | The excise on sweetened drinks names powders, tablets and concentrates for dilution. The excise section of the guide gives the dated court and Senate steps | Risk: your broker confirms the duty before the shelf price is set |
| A first shipment before the registration is issued | Clearance is limited to registered products from the registered source | Time: the order is timed to the certificate |
Is an effervescent tablet, a drink cube or an electrolyte product a supplement or food in Nigeria?
For a tablet in a tube, NAFDAC's draft supplement definitions list the tablet among the forms of a dietary supplement, which points to the DR&R Directorate. For drink cubes and electrolyte tablets or powders, no NAFDAC document seen on 22 October 2026 settles the choice between supplement and food. Your importer asks NAFDAC which route applies before the label is drawn.
The route decides the guideline, the directorate and the timeline, 120 working days against 180. The directorate section of the guide sets out both. Classification inside the European Union is covered in food or supplement for effervescent drinks.
Which papers does FIZZPHARMA supply for a NAFDAC file?
NAFDAC asks for a dossier that your importer assembles, plus a short list of papers from the country of manufacture. The table of who prepares each paper covers the importer's side; these are the papers that come from FIZZPHARMA.
| Paper | From FIZZPHARMA | When |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Analysis and specification | Issued for every batch after testing in the factory's own laboratory | With each batch |
| Site certificates | ISO 22000:2018, GMP and HACCP certificates from BM Certification; copies showing their numbers | On request |
| Certificate of Free Sale and Certificate of Manufacture | Arranged by FIZZPHARMA, with apostille or consular legalisation wherever the destination requires it | On request |
| Label artwork, printed label and leaflet | Designed by FIZZPHARMA or checked against your importer's wording, printed at the plant, leaflet in the pack | Before production, once you have approved the artwork |
| Manufacturing agreement or power of attorney | Notarised in the country of manufacture; the paper FIZZPHARMA signs for your product is confirmed in our reply | Ask with the first enquiry |
| Invitation letter for the NAFDAC GMP inspection | The way the letter is prepared is confirmed in our reply | With the dossier |
| Nigerian Embassy or High Commission authentication | The order of the steps with the legalisation chain is confirmed in our reply | With the dossier |
Certificates and batch documents describes each paper. If your importer holds NAFDAC's list, attach it to the enquiry; the answer arrives within 24 hours on working days, Monday to Friday.
What must the label say in Nigeria?
The label is in English, and other languages may be added next to it. The full list of particulars is in the label section of the registration guide. Your importer fixes every line against the labelling act in force before artwork sign-off. FIZZPHARMA designs the label or reviews yours. It prints the label at the plant on the tube, the sachet, the blister foil and the box. Where a product goes into a carton, the expiry date is printed on the carton. Nothing is printed until you have approved the artwork.
How do I import effervescent tablets to Nigeria?
Goods leave EXW unless you agree otherwise. FCA and DAP are available. Under DAP they arrive at your address while you pay the duties. FIZZPHARMA delivers worldwide, Africa included. Production takes from 4 weeks for tablets and sachets, with transport and customs on top. For drink cubes, ask for the lead time with your enquiry.
| Step | Time | Who |
|---|---|---|
| NAFDAC registration of a supplement | 120 working days | Your importer files; NAFDAC decides |
| NAFDAC registration of a food | 180 working days | Your importer files; NAFDAC decides |
| Production of tablets and sachets | From 4 weeks | FIZZPHARMA |
| Transport and customs | Added to the production time | You and your forwarder, under the delivery term you choose |
NAFDAC clears registered products from the registered source, so the first order is timed to the date the certificate is issued. The port section of the guide has the document list and the release steps. FIZZPHARMA issues a CoA for each batch, and the port list asks for the original. Talk through the delivery term with your importer and your forwarder, then state it in the enquiry. See how an order works, and find the registration, label and tax guides together in the knowledge hub.
Which pack suits a hot, humid route to Lagos?
Effervescent tablets react with moisture, so their pack is a tube with a desiccant cap. The WHO table of stability conditions (March 2021) gives Nigeria 30 °C at 65% relative humidity. It is drafted for medicines. For a supplement it is a yardstick, not a legal requirement. Your importer asks NAFDAC what it expects for your product. Tablets and sachets carry a standard shelf life of 24 months, confirmed in the CoA. Every extra week at a port or in a warehouse lengthens the exposure, so put the route and the storage into the brief.
Can one range be sold in Nigeria and a French-speaking market?
Yes. The Nigerian label is in English, and the label for a French-speaking market is written in that market's language. FIZZPHARMA designs or checks both versions and prints each at the plant. A version goes to print only after you approve it, and the leaflet follows the language of your layout. The importer in the second market confirms its own authority's requirements. The importers in West Africa page covers Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire, where French is the official language.
Frequently asked questions
How soon can a first order for Nigeria be shipped?
FIZZPHARMA produces effervescent tablets and sachets from 4 weeks. NAFDAC states 120 working days for a supplement and 180 for food, so the first order is timed to the date the certificate is issued. Transport and customs come on top of production.
Which pack suits a hot, humid route to Lagos?
FIZZPHARMA packs effervescent tablets in a tube with a desiccant cap, because moisture is what these tablets react to. Tablets and sachets carry a standard shelf life of 24 months. The WHO table gives Nigeria 30 °C at 65% relative humidity, as a yardstick drafted for medicines.
Can one range be sold in Nigeria and a French-speaking market?
Yes. FIZZPHARMA prints an English label for Nigeria and a label in the other market's language, and each artwork goes to print only after you approve it. The importer in each market confirms the requirements of its own authority.
What is the minimum order for an importer in Nigeria?
The minimum order is low on every format at FIZZPHARMA. Tablets are counted in tubes, powder sachets start from 300 kg of finished blend, and drink cubes are counted in cubes and boxes for each product. How each format is counted is on minimum order and lead time.
Does FIZZPHARMA deliver to Nigeria?
Yes, FIZZPHARMA delivers worldwide, Africa included. Goods leave EXW by default, and FCA or DAP are available on request. Under DAP they arrive at your address while you pay the duties.
What documents does FIZZPHARMA supply for a NAFDAC file?
FIZZPHARMA supplies a CoA and a specification with each batch. On request it adds certificate copies (ISO 22000, GMP, HACCP). It also supplies the Certificate of Free Sale, the Certificate of Manufacture, and the printed label and leaflet. Certificates and batch documents describes each one.
Can I see a sample or visit the plant before placing an order?
Yes. Products already in production can be sampled before an order, and the production site can be visited. Ask for either one in the enquiry and give Nigeria as the destination.
Who files the NAFDAC registration in Nigeria?
A company registered in Nigeria files, one application for each product. FIZZPHARMA supplies the batch and export papers. The guide to who files has the details.
How long does NAFDAC registration take?
NAFDAC states 120 working days for a supplement and 180 for food. The order of the steps and the certificate term are in the timeline section of the guide.
Which NAFDAC route does an effervescent tablet take?
A tablet in a tube points to the supplement route of the DR&R Directorate. For drink cubes and electrolyte products, your importer asks NAFDAC which route applies. See the directorate section of the guide.
Read more
Certificates and batch documents · Minimum order and lead time · How an order works · Effervescent tablets in tubes · Drink cubes · Powder sachets · West Africa · Gulf and North Africa · Sugar taxes on drinks in the Gulf and Africa · Knowledge hub · Questions buyers ask
Ask about your product for Nigeria
Send the product, your role (brand owner or distributor), and the list of papers your importer has received from NAFDAC. A reply from FIZZPHARMA reaches you within 24 hours on working days, Monday to Friday.
Sources
- NAFDAC guideline for imported herbal remedies and dietary supplements (R&R-GDL-007-01, effective 13 December 2021, review date 12 December 2026). Read 22 October 2026.
- NAFDAC guideline for imported food and feed products (FR&RA-GDL-001-01, effective 1 March 2026). Read 22 October 2026.
- NAFDAC label guidance for herbal medicines and dietary supplements (effective 13 December 2021). Read 22 October 2026.
- NAFDAC pre-packaged food labelling regulations (2019 text, regulations 5, 9, 11 to 15). Read 22 October 2026.
- NAFDAC Dietary Supplement Regulations 2025 (draft, marked closed for comments) and the 2019 draft. Read 22 October 2026.
- NAFDAC Ports Inspection Directorate, port clearance guideline PID-GDL-005-01 (effective 24 September 2022). Read 22 October 2026.
- NAFDAC Ports Inspection Directorate, NAFDAC/PID/002/00 on the clearance of imported regulated food products. Reviewed 22 October 2026.
- KPMG Nigeria, commentary on the 2022 excise regulations for non-alcoholic, carbonated and sweetened beverages, December 2022. Read 22 October 2026.
- TheCable, start of the N10 per litre excise, 24 June 2022 (implementation on 1 June 2022). Read 22 October 2026.
- WHO, stability conditions for Member States by region: March 2021 update of Annex 2 (Appendix 1) to Technical Report no. 953. Drafted for medicines. Read 22 October 2026.