Your Africa Trade Partner

With the start of AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area), UBA is positioned to support global trade.

Facilitating Global Trade

International Trade is an ever-evolving business and we understand the complexities of the global market. Our products and services have been designed to ease your banking needs at any of our locations in 20 African countries, the UK, France, and the USA.

Trade with ease

Form M

Form M is mandatory document to be completed by importers for the importation of goods. Importers are required to complete the form on the Federal Government Single Window for Trade, www.trade.gov.ng

The validity period of a Form M document is 360 days (for general merchandise) and 720 days (for plant and machinery); extensions of 180 days (for general merchandise) and 360 days (for plant and machinery) can be granted by the bank. Further extensions are approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Requirements:
  • Pro-forma invoice
  • Insurance certificate
  • Regulatory Certificate per the item of import e.g. NAFDAC permit, DPR certificate, SONCAP Product certificate, NESREA.

Download FORM M

Letter of Credit

A letter of credit (LC) is an agreement that is irrevocable and thereby constitutes a definite undertaking of an issuing bank to honour payments requested by customers to exporters.
Requirements:
  • Registered Form M
  • Duly completed Letter of Credit application form
  • Customer’s instruction to buy Foreign currency

Download Letter of Credit Form

Bill for Collection

Bills for Collection is the handling of documents (financial and/or commercial) by banks in line with the instructions received from exporters to:

  • – Obtain payment and/or acceptance, or
  • – Deliver documents against payment and/or acceptance
  • – Deliver documents on other terms and conditions
Requirements:
  • Registered Form M
  • Customer’s instruction to buy foreign currency
  • Shipping Documents :
  • Original Clean /Shipped on Board Bill of Lading /Airway Bill/Road Waybill
  • Certificate of Origin
  • Packing list
  • Commercial Invoice
  • Product Certificate
    • - Single Goods Declaration (SGD) form
    • - Accepted Bill of Exchange
    • - Assessment Notice
    • - Exit Note
    • - PAAR (Pre – Arrival Assessment Report)

Form Q

A Form Q enables Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)to access $20,000.00 quarterly to pay for imports.
Requirements:
  • Duly completed Form Q
  • Registered form M
  • Customer’s instruction to buy foreign currency
  • Pro-forma invoice
  • Certificate of Incorporation/Registration

Form A

A Form A allows customers buy funds at the CBN or interbank rate to make payments for eligible services as predetermined by the Foreign exchange manual

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced an electronic version of “Form A”, called “e-Form A”. It is designed to replace the hard copy you receive at branches. You can now apply for Form A transactions online on the Trade Monitoring System portal www.tradesystem.gov.ng

Payments for services include the following:

  • Medical Services
  • School Fees (tuition) and living allowances
  • Conferences, Seminars and Training
  • Correspondence courses
  • Copyright, Patent, Franchise and Royalties
  • Consultancy fees
  • Management and Technical service
  • Membership, subscription and examination fees
  • Re-payment for external loans
  • Monthly Personal Home Remittance

Export

Customers willing to commence the exportation of goods are required to register with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council.

To export good out of Nigeria, an NXP form is a mandatory document to be completed by all exporters.

Requirements:
  • Certificate of Incorporation
  • Valid NEPC (Nigerian Export Promotion Council) certificate
  • Pro-forma invoice for export item which must not be on the prohibition list. See www.trade.gov.ng
  • Tax Identification Number (TIN)
  • Export Proceeds Domiciliary Account
  • Duly completed Form NXP on TRMS (Trade Monitoring System) - www.tradesystem.gov.ng

CBN Trade Policies & Circulars

As your trade partner, we ensure our processes are in line with CBN policies that guide trade transactions. Please read some of the policies and circulars below:

– Sugar Importation in Nigeria
– Prohibited Items
– Personal Travel Allowance (PTA) & School fees
– CBN introduces e-Form A
– CBN e-evaluator and e-invoicing

– CBN Guidelines on Non-Oil Export Stimulation Facility (NESF)

Trade services enquiries

For more information about Trade Services, Please visit a UBA branch near you, email us at trade.services@ubagroup.com or call our Trade help desk on 01-2807-300, 01-2807-228, 09062800579, 09062800580

FAQs

Yes, it is mandatory
Form ‘M’ can be accessed online via a portal called the Federal Government Single Window for Trade
A Form M number is generated and reviewed by the Nigerian customs service to check for errors before it is validated for processing
Yes. Changes can be made to fields like country of origin/supply and port of discharge after Form M acceptance
Yes. Form M is required where the purpose of the transfer is the purchase of goods
Form A is NOT required when the customer is utilizing his personal funds sourced from the parallel market (black market) and the amount meets the threshold for cash transfers
Yes. You can open one (1) Form M and use it in multiples for FCY payment as long as the items are captured in the Form M and the total transfer amount does not exceed the amount on the Form M
There is no limit for Letters of credit
Letters of Credit are opened for all goods provided they are not listed under the import prohibition list published by regulatory authorities
The validity of form NXP is 6 months from the date of registration and subject to renewal for 3 months by the bank. Further extension will be approved by Central Bank of Nigeria
Yes, all goods for export (oil and non-oil) are subject to inspection
  1. Rice
  2. Cement
  3. Margarine
  4. Palm Kernel/Palm oil products/vegetable oils
  5. Meat and Processed Meat Products
  6. Vegetables and Processed Vegetable Products
  7. Poultry- – Chicken, eggs, Turkey
  8. Private Airplanes/Jets
  9. Incense
  10. Tinned Fish In sauce (Geisha)/Sardines, and Fish
  11. Cold rolled Steel Sheets
  12. Galvanized Steel Sheets
  13. Roofing Sheets
  14. Wheelbarrows
  15. Head pans
  16. Metal Boxes and Containers
  17. Enamelware
  18. Steel Drums
  19. Steel Pipes
  20. Wire rods (deformed and not deformed)
  21. Iron rods and reinforcing bars
  22. Wire Mesh
  23. Steel Nails
  24. Security and razor wire
  25. Wood Particle Boards and Panels
  26. Wood Fiber Boards and Panels
  27. Plywood Boards and Panels
  28. Wooden Doors
  29. Furniture
  30. Toothpicks
  31. Glass and Glassware
  32. Kitchen Utensils
  33. Tableware
  34. Tiles – vitrified and ceramic
  35. Textiles
  36. Woven Fabrics
  37. Clothes
  38. Plastic and rubber Products, Cellophane Wrappers and  Finished Aluminium Cans
  39. Soap and cosmetics
  40. Tomatoes/Tomato Pastes
  41. Euro bond/Foreign Currency Bond/Share Purchases
  42. Fertilizers

Commercial Papers

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Money Market Deposits

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Treasury Products

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