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Importer of Record · Benin & the Sahel corridors

Your Importer of Record
in Benin

Sell and deliver in Benin, Niger, Burkina Faso or Mali without opening a local company. AD TRANS LOGISTICS imports in its own name at the Port of Cotonou, pays duties and taxes on your behalf, and hands the goods to your customer with every receipt.

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Registered freight forwarder at the Port of CotonouIFU 3202465578499 · RCCM RB/COT/24 B 38537English & French
What we do as IOR

Compliance handled end to end

1

Consignee on the B/L

We are named as consignee / notify party, so the shipping line, the port and customs have one accountable local party.

2

Importer credentials

Benin tax ID (IFU) and importer registration used for the declaration — no need for your own entity or bank account in Benin.

3

BESC / ECTN

The electronic cargo tracking note is mandatory for every import into Benin. We guide its issuance at loading and validate it before arrival.

4

Customs declaration

Lodged through our licensed customs-broker partners, with HS classification, valuation and the permits for regulated goods.

5

Duties & taxes

Paid on your behalf against a pro-forma invoice; official customs and port receipts returned to you at cost, no mark-up.

6

Delivery & documents

Handover to your customer in Benin or bonded transit to Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, then the full document pack for your records.

How it works

Five steps, written confirmation at each one

  1. Quote

    Send invoice, packing list, draft B/L and destination. Within 24 business hours you receive the landed-cost estimate: duties, taxes, port and terminal charges, our IOR fee and delivery.

  2. Pre-shipment check

    We confirm HS codes, permits for regulated goods and the BESC/ECTN, and give you the exact consignee and notify details for the bill of lading.

  3. Arrival & clearance

    Documents are lodged before the vessel berths. Duties and taxes are paid against your pro-forma; you follow the file on WhatsApp and e-mail.

  4. Delivery

    Release, exit of the port and delivery to the final recipient — or bonded transit to Niamey, Ouagadougou or Bamako under one contract.

  5. Closing pack

    Customs receipts, delivery note signed by the recipient, our invoice with duties and charges at cost on separate lines.

Pricing

One IOR fee per shipment, quoted in advance, plus duties, taxes and port charges passed through at cost with the official receipts. Ocean freight can be included if you want a single door-to-door price.

  • Written quote before you ship, valid for the stated period
  • No payment before the pro-forma invoice
  • SWIFT (USD/EUR), card or Mobile Money
  • Monthly account available for regular shippers
E-mail the documents →
FAQ

Importer of Record in Benin, answered

What does the Importer of Record service include?
AD TRANS LOGISTICS is named as consignee on the bill of lading, provides its Benin tax ID (IFU) and importer credentials, obtains or validates the BESC/ECTN, lodges the customs declaration through its licensed customs-broker partners, settles duties, taxes and port charges against your pro-forma, and delivers the goods to your customer or project site with the full document pack.
Who uses it?
Equipment and spare-part suppliers with customers in Benin, Niger, Burkina Faso or Mali; e-commerce and marketplace sellers; NGOs and contractors delivering to project sites; vehicle exporters; and foreign forwarders who need a reliable destination agent at the Port of Cotonou.
Which goods can you import as IOR?
General cargo, vehicles, machinery, spare parts, IT and telecom equipment, consumer goods and project cargo. Regulated goods (pharmaceuticals, food, chemicals, telecom devices) need the relevant permits — we tell you before shipping. Prohibited goods are declined.
How are duties and taxes paid?
Benin applies the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (0 to 35 % duty) plus 18 % VAT and statutory levies on the CIF value. We send an itemised estimate before departure and a pro-forma invoice before clearance; you pay by SWIFT or card and receive the official customs receipts with our invoice.
How long does it take?
With documents in order before arrival, 3 to 5 working days for vehicles and 5 to 7 working days for a container of general cargo, from vessel arrival to release. Transit to Niamey, Ouagadougou or Bamako adds 5 to 10 days depending on the corridor.
What do you need from us?
Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading (draft is fine to quote), certificate of origin where applicable, the final recipient and address, and the HS codes if you have them. We confirm everything in writing before you ship.

Talk to the team

Tell us what you ship, where it goes and when it sails. We reply within 24 business hours, in English.

WhatsApp +229 01 97 50 05 55 Track a container
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