Educational literature in trading with African nations is available both on the web and in print, and is a good place to start your Africa customs regulations training. Workshops and seminars are also organized to focus on the broad topic of trade and economic development on the African continent.

Because each country in African has its own customs regulations, learning about the customs regulations in South Africa or Kenya customs regulations requires that you locate that country's embassy or trade regulation body for specific information. Most countries have their own customs websites where you can access trade regulation information.

To begin your customs regulations in Africa education and training, consider the following resources:

1. Access government websites for trade and customs guides.
2. Get fact sheets and manuals with Africa customs regulations.
3. Attend conferences and workshops for learning more about African trade.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn about African customs regulations online from government sites

The best way to begin your training in customs regulations in Africa is to consult the major US guides and legislation for trade with Africa. Most African countries will not have a set of regulations as stringent as those provided in the United States because their trade policies are designed to stimulate trade and investment. Often US guidelines more than adequately cover the African import and export regulations.

I recommend: The African Growth and Opportunity Act is the most current piece of legislation governing African trade and provides information on African customs regulations. The Office of the United States Trade Representative offers a guide to reading and understanding AGOA. African countries and organizations also publish their own regulations, such as the Nairobi International Trade Fair for Kenyan customs and the South Africa customs regulations.

Get fact sheets and manuals for customs regulations in Africa references

You can get quick references or comprehensive manuals in African customs regulations by consulting online fact sheets or printed books covering African trade. If you are trading in a specific product or industry, fact sheets are the best way to find out what major regulations apply to your business.

I recommend: The US Customs and Border Patrol offers trade publications and fact sheets online, so that you can gather African customs regulations information by country or by industry when educating yourself about international trade. The World Trade Press also publishes the Importers Manual USA, with up-to-date and comprehensive trade information for Africa and other regions.

Extend your customs regulations in Africa education and training with conferences and workshops

Conferences and workshops take place internationally to broaden the understanding of African customs regulations held by businesspeople and policy makers. Seminars are held for country-specific trade information as well as broader, continental policies and initiatives governing trade with Africa.

I recommend: Consumer Unity & Trust Society International holds seminars in South African customs regulations and other African trade agreements, while the Alan L. Freed Associates public policy seminars focus on the US side of trade initiatives with Africa. The Egypt-U.S. Trade Finance Conference offered by the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt trains business professionals in customs regulations in Egypt.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Customs regulations in Somalia and other African countries where the United States does not have official representation may be difficult to locate online and require a personal visit or written letter. Training yourself in customs regulations in Congo and other countries where the UN held official sanctions, on the other hand, requires that you become well versed in past international treaties.

Africa customs regulations are important to know if you’re hoping to do regular business with any country on that continent. These regulations can vary greatly from country to country, but all must be followed carefully if you don’t want to run into shipping problems. Fortunately, there are many Internet resources that can help you understand African customs regulations for any circumstances.

Customs regulations in Africa can be found from companies that specialize in international shipping and in customs brokerage. These regulations can also be found from the African governments, where you can be sure that the information is correct. The South African government, for example, gives detailed guidelines to South African customs regulations on government websites.

When you’re looking for information about Africa customs regulations:

1. Find shipping companies with experience in African customs regulations.

2. Make sure you’re complying with the customs regulations of the specific country.

3. Gather information from the US and from foreign governments to avoid potential problems.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get information from companies that specialize in customs regulations in Africa

There are many companies who specialize in importing and exporting goods internationally. Many of these companies can give good advice about customs regulations in Africa.

I recommend: Walker World Trade is a large import/export company with offices around the world. They offer consultations on trade issues upon request. Customs Services & Solutions, Inc. is a customs brokerage firm that can help to get goods shipped more quickly across borders.

Consult the country government department whose African customs regulations you need to understand

The best and most accurate information about Africa customs regulations is always from the source. Government websites contain the information specific to that country's rules for customs and have contact information to find any additional information.

I recommend: The South African Revenue Service offers direct links to South African customs regulations and also provides a list of publications on customs regulations in South Africa. Egypt’s Information Portal gives international trade information, including customs regulations in Egypt. The Kenyan Office of Public Communications details Kenya customs regulations on its website. Flying Eagle Shipping Limited is a Nigerian customs brokerage firm with detailed knowledge on Nigeria customs regulations. To find customs regulations in Congo, go to the Kinhshasa, Congo U.S. Embassy site. For customs regulations in Somalia, visit The International Movers Network. Interfreight has helpful information on customs regulations in Sudan and Ugandan customs regulations as well. VisaHQ has information on customs regulations in Libya.

Check government websites on importing and exporting when dealing with African customs regulations

You can learn about both US regulations concerning international trade and information about trading with countries around the world.

I recommend: Export.gov has international trade information including African Customs Regulations and links to other government departments that can help with African trade. U.S. Commercial Service has a form that can search for trade documents on any industry in any country over a range of time. The Corporate Council on Africa is a private but US government-sponsored organization dedicated to promoting US-Africa trade. Their publications include guides to customs regulations in South Africa, customs regulations in Algeria and Nigeria customs regulations.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't forget that customs regulations in Africa will be different for every country. Make sure that you check out the regulations for every country you plan to do business with!

A business with a long reach may be considering setting up new or additional shipping patterns to an African country, or anything involving customs regulations in Africa. These kinds of operations can be complicated by visa requirements, tariffs, trade regulations and all kinds of other "knowns and unknowns."

A business looking at new initiatives overseas can take a look at some conditions for customs regulations in Egypt and Kenya, or customs requirements in any of the countries in between with just a couple of easy clicks on the internet. Internet sites maintain tips on customs regulations in Africa news and trends for:

1. Figuring out how customs in an African country may have changed over time since a previous venture.

2. Looking at new shipping patterns that may include delving into African customs regulations.

3. Business projects that look at cost effectiveness for a shipping proposal based on Africa customs regulations.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find news on customs regulations in Africa at U.S. government sites

Many U.S. government agencies post information about world customs regulations including those for African countries on the web, at specific websites to inform the public. Browse these to take a look at how the federal U.S. government interprets customs regulations in Africa.

I recommend: A section of the BUYUSA.GOV site maintained by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce provides details for trade regulations with some regions of the African continent, including tariffs, export controls and more. Get more news on international trade and customs, including policies of African nations, from this customs site from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Get info on customs regulations in Africa from online agencies

Some international groups specializing in world travel maintain some informational sites on customs regulations in Africa. This is another way for businesses to do a quick check on the restrictions and standards for shipping to Africa or for other customs info.

I recommend: The International Air Transport Association has compiled South African customs regulations and customs info for other specific African countries. Find out more at The International Movers Network.

Locate more public sites with shipping info

Other parties will also maintain websites with listings on customs regulations in Libya and Sudan, and more resources for the African continent. Check out some of these for proprietary information on what it takes to reach a shipping arrangement with a nation on the African continent.

I recommend: Visa HQ details customs regulations for South Africa. Look for more on customs regulations in South Africa and nearby nations from sites like Shipping International.

Studying customs regulations in Africa for beginners is beneficial to business owners who plan to trade or travel into the continent. Beginners should understand that there is a difference between North African customs regulations and the South African customs regulations and should look up the specific part of Africa and its unique customs before travel.

Customs regulations in South Africa might be very different than customs regulations in an area further north, such as customs regulations in Egypt or customs regulations in Congo. Some parts of the country have different restrictions, especially in regards to pets, animal and agricultural imports. When looking into customs regulations in Africa for beginners, you might want to consider the following things:

1. Africa customs regulates which items the country denies.

2. Tariff regulations.

3. Somalia and other parts of Africa's regulations regarding animals and agricultural products.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Study African customs regulations to see which products you can't take into the country

Some products denied entry in Congo and other Africa parts are obvious, such as drugs, others are not so obvious, such as honey or anything else related to a bee. Secondhand cars and other goods will also fail in customs.

I recommend: Travel Document Systems offers a list of customs and duty-free allowances along with restrictions for travelers heading into South Africa. The list applies only to passengers who are over 18-years old. The International Air Transport Association details import regulations for South Africa, including restrictions. It covers topics such as import regulations, arms and ammunition regulations, pets and baggage clearance, among other topics.

Learn about tariffs on imports in African customs regulations

Nigeria customs regulations and other African country regulations include tariffs on imported products. In 1994, South Africa agreed to comply with international standards. In 2000, it agreed to free trade, including automotive products, which it added to the list in 2006.

I recommend: MBendi Information Services and Whitehouse & Associates defines what a customs tariff entails. It defines different trade agreements from various parts of Africa for tariff regulation. Go to the tralac-trade law centre for Southern Africa for updated tariff information. This site offers weekly updates regarding customs, tariffs, excise and trade.

Analyze Africa customs regulations for special rules pertaining to animals and agricultural products

Custom regulations in Somalia and other parts of Africa include specialized treatment of some agricultural products and also of animals. For health reasons, officials bar the entry of different types of produce, including fruit, and types of meat. Officials watch animal trade closely, and pet owners sometimes have to quarantine their animals before going through customs.

I recommend: The FedEx website summarizes ways to get various products through customs. It covers topics such as the proper way to get agricultural products through customs in Africa. The U.S. Department of State answers questions in regards to shipping agricultural products and animals to Africa.