How Much Does Nigerian Charcoal Cost? Understanding Price per Ton, FOB Lagos and Landed Cost

"What is your price per ton?" is the first question in almost every enquiry we receive — and the honest answer is that a single figure means very little until you know what sits behind it. Two Nigerian suppliers can quote numbers $100 apart and the "cheaper" one can easily cost more by the time the container clears your port. This guide explains the components of a Nigerian charcoal price so that you can compare quotations like for like.

1. Grade and species

Price starts with the product. Restaurant-grade large Ayin lumps command the highest price per tonne; uniform medium BBQ lumps sit just below; natural mixed-size hardwood lump is the most economical export grade; and industrial smalls and fines are priced lowest. Always compare quotations for the same grade, species and size profile.

2. Packaging

Plain 25–50 kg PP woven sacks are the cheapest format. Printed BOPP retail bags in 3–10 kg sizes add material, printing and labour cost per tonne, but save you re-packing at destination and put your brand on the shelf immediately. Jumbo bags or loose loading are typical for industrial grades. A quote "per tonne" must state the packaging it assumes.

3. Incoterm: EXW, FOB, CFR or CIF

• EXW / FCA — price at our yard; you pay haulage, port charges, export clearance and freight.
• FOB Lagos — the most common basis for Nigerian charcoal. It includes haulage to Apapa/Tin Can, export customs, terminal handling and loading on board. You arrange and pay ocean freight and insurance.
• CFR / CIF destination — FOB plus ocean freight (and insurance for CIF) to your port. Easier to budget, but check what the freight assumption is and whether it is fixed.

4. Container size and tonnage

Charcoal is bulky, so containers fill by volume before weight. A 20' container typically holds roughly 10–13 tonnes of bagged lump charcoal; a 40' high-cube around 20–26 tonnes. Because fixed costs per container (haulage, documentation, port charges, freight) are spread over more tonnes, the 40' HC is almost always cheaper per tonne landed. When comparing offers, ask how many tonnes the supplier guarantees per container.

5. Documentation and inspection

A compliant exporter builds the cost of NEPC registration, NXP processing, certificate of origin, phytosanitary/fumigation certificates, self-heating test documentation and customs clearance into the FOB price. A quote that omits these is not cheaper — it is incomplete. Third-party inspection (SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, Cotecna) is usually for the buyer's account and is worth budgeting on a first order.

6. Payment terms

Deposit-and-balance terms against documents carry a different risk and cash-flow profile from a letter of credit at sight. Suppliers may price these differently; make sure terms are agreed in the pro-forma invoice.

Worked example: how to compare two quotes

Why we do not publish a list price

Freight rates, exchange rates, seasonal demand and the cost of packaging all move. Publishing a fixed price per ton would either mislead you or go stale within weeks. Instead, we provide an itemised, written quotation — grade, species, size profile, packaging, tonnes per container, Incoterm, documents and payment terms — within two business days of your enquiry, so that you can compare it properly against any other offer.

Request your quotation here, or read our guide to export documentation and guide to evaluating charcoal quality before you buy.