COÛT TOTAL RENDU : CHAQUE POSTE QUE LES ACHETEURS AFRICAINS OUBLIENT DE BUDGÉTER

The FOB price is not the price. Walk through the full landed-cost stack — freight, insurance, duty, levies, clearing, inland haulage, registration and the contingency nobody budgets.

From Fob To Cif

Start with the FOB price, then add the costs of getting it onto the vessel: inland haulage to the Chinese port, export customs handling, terminal charges and ocean freight. Add marine insurance and you have CIF.

Freight on a single heavy unit is significant. Ask for the freight quote valid on a date, because rates move.

From Cif To Landed At Your Yard

Import duty — set by your HS code and by your country’s tariff book under the relevant common external tariff (ECOWAS, EAC or SADC). Rates change; have your broker confirm the current rate for your exact HS code.

VAT or sales tax, usually calculated on the duty-inclusive value, not on the invoice value.

Additional levies: statistical fee, ECOWAS/COMESA/EAC levy, infrastructure or port development levy, excise where it applies.

Terminal handling, container freight station or RoRo terminal charges, and shipping agency fees.

Clearing agent and documentation fees.

Inland transport from the port to your site — for large markets this can exceed the ocean freight.

Registration, roadworthiness test, number plates, insurance for first policy.

First service parts kit, tyres, and a contingency for the small things that always appear.

Age Limits And Pre-Shipment Inspection

Several African markets restrict the age of imported vehicles. Kenya is well known for an eight-year limit on used imports; other markets apply ten, twelve or fifteen years, and several have revised the rule in recent years. Confirm the current rule with your broker before you commit to a build year.

Separately, many markets require a Certificate of Conformity before shipment — Kenya and Uganda operate PVoC, Nigeria operates SONCAP, Egypt requires GOEIC registration. If this is not arranged before loading, your cargo waits at the port and the storage bill grows daily.

Payment Costs People Forget

Telegraphic transfer fees at both banks, and the spread between the official and the actually usable exchange rate.

Letter of credit: opening fee, confirmation fee where required, and amendment charges. A small LC on a low-value order is poor value.

FX exposure between deposit and balance. If your currency is volatile, price your sale in the same currency you buy.

Budget A Contingency

On a first import, hold 5 to 10 percent of the FOB value as contingency. It covers the inspection you did not plan, the extra levy nobody quoted, the tyre that failed on the way from the port, and the week of demurrage you hope not to spend.

Ask your supplier for a written proforma that separates the unit price, the optional extras and the inland charges. A single lump-sum number hides the lines you need to control.