Sending Foodstuff and Gifts from Nigeria to the UK After the Holidays
Flying back to the UK in January with more than your allowance? Drop your foodstuff, fabrics and gifts at our Lagos office and we fly them to the UK, cleared through UK customs and delivered to your door.
Written by
R-Zone Cargo Team
Published on
11 November 2026
Quick Answer
R-Zone ships from Nigeria to the UK every week by air, typically in 5 to 8 working days, from £4.80/kg from Lagos (minimum 20kg; 30kg from most other states), with UK customs clearance included and delivery to your UK door available. Drop your boxes at our Egbeda, Lagos office. Dried foodstuffs, spices, fabrics and gifts are fine; meat and dairy products cannot enter the UK.
- Air from Lagos
- From £4.80/kg
- Transit
- 5 to 8 working days
- Minimum
- 20kg Lagos, 30kg most states
- Drop-off
- Egbeda, Lagos
In This Article
Going back to the UK with more than you came with
January flights from Lagos and Abuja to London are full of people carrying garri, egusi, fabrics and gifts from family. Airline allowances rarely stretch that far, and excess baggage at the airport is expensive.
The alternative is to send it as cargo. R-Zone ships from Nigeria to the UK every week, clears UK customs for you and can deliver to your door.
How it works
- Get a quote from our Lagos team or UK office with the weight and what you are sending.
- Drop off at our office in Egbeda, Lagos, or ask about collection.
- We fly it to the UK on our weekly air service.
- UK customs clearance is handled by our Upminster team.
- Delivery to your door anywhere in the UK, or collection from our warehouse.
Full details: importation from Nigeria.
Prices and timings
| Air | |
|---|---|
| From Lagos | From £4.80/kg, or £5.20/kg delivered to your UK door |
| From Ibadan and Akure | From £5.00/kg |
| From most other states | Higher rates, 30kg minimum |
| Minimum | 20kg from Lagos, Ibadan and Akure |
| Transit | 5 to 8 working days |
Sea freight sails monthly and takes 4 to 6 weeks. Rates can move with the naira exchange rate, so confirm your quote before you ship.
Foodstuffs you can send
Dried and packaged Nigerian foods travel well and are what most people send:
- Grains and flours: garri, elubo, semovita, beans, rice
- Soup ingredients: egusi, ogbono, crayfish, dried pepper, locust beans, bitter leaf (dried)
- Spices and seasonings in sealed packs
- Snacks: chin chin, plantain chips, kuli kuli, groundnuts
- Palm oil in strong sealed containers, wrapped against leaks
Also not accepted
- Bleaching and skin-lightening creams
- Chicken-flavoured Indomie or Maggi
- Liquid herbs
- Live animals and fresh produce with soil
- Firearms, controlled drugs and anything on the UK prohibited list
Packing for the journey
- Double-bag dry foods and seal them; flour and garri leak through single bags.
- Palm oil and liquids in screw-top containers, taped, bagged and packed upright.
- Fabrics and clothes in plastic bags to keep them clean.
- Label every box with your UK name, address, postcode and phone number.
Book your return shipment
Flying back in January? Arrange it before you leave the UK, or call our Lagos team while you are there. Travelling out for Christmas? See excess baggage or cargo for the trip there.
Call +44 (0) 800 772 0864 or WhatsApp +44 7915 647119 and a member of our UK team will help.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I send foodstuff from Nigeria to the UK?
Pack it well, drop it at R-Zone's office in Egbeda, Lagos (or ask about collection), and we fly it to the UK on our weekly air service. UK customs clearance is included, and we can deliver to your UK door.
How much does it cost to ship from Nigeria to the UK?
Air freight from Lagos starts from £4.80/kg, or £5.20/kg with delivery to your UK door, with a 20kg minimum. Rates from other states are higher and most have a 30kg minimum. Prices can move with the naira exchange rate, so confirm your quote before you ship.
Which Nigerian foods can I send to the UK?
Dried and packaged foodstuffs such as garri, elubo, beans, egusi, ogbono, crayfish, dried pepper, spices, plantain chips and chin chin are commonly shipped. Meat and dairy products cannot be imported into the UK from Nigeria, and some other foods have limits, so check with us first.
How long does cargo take from Nigeria to the UK?
Air cargo typically takes 5 to 8 working days. Sea freight takes 4 to 6 weeks and sails monthly.
What cannot be sent from Nigeria to the UK?
Meat and dairy products, bleaching creams, chicken-flavoured Indomie or Maggi, liquid herbs, live animals, firearms, controlled drugs and anything on the UK prohibited list.
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