FDA Prior Notice and Import Compliance: What Nigerian Exporters Must Know

Every food shipment entering the United States must be preceded by a Prior Notice filing with the FDA. There is no minimum shipment size exemption. Nigeria exports a growing volume of agricultural products to the US market, including sesame seeds, cashew nuts, cocoa, shea butter, hibiscus flowers, and processed foods. If the Prior Notice is not filed or contains errors, the shipment will be refused entry at the port, and the exporter bears the cost of re-export or destruction. For Nigerian exporters shipping from Lagos, Apapa, and Tin Can Island ports, understanding this requirement is essential.

What is FDA Prior Notice and why is it required?

Prior Notice was introduced under the Bioterrorism Act of 2002 as a food safety defence measure. It gives the FDA advance information about incoming food shipments to assess risk before goods arrive. The filing must be submitted through the FDA Prior Notice System Interface (PNSI) or the Automated Broker Interface (ABI/ACE). For Nigerian exporters, this means verifying that the manufacturing facility's FDA registration number, product code, and shipper information are correct before every shipment.

Filing timelines by mode of transport

For sea freight, the filing must be confirmed at least 8 hours before arrival. For air freight, 4 hours. Most Nigerian food exports travel by sea from Lagos ports, meaning the 8-hour window applies. Filings through PNSI cannot be submitted more than 15 calendar days before the anticipated arrival date. Nigerian exporters must ensure the filing is completed before the vessel departs to avoid delays at US ports.

Required information in a Prior Notice filing

The filing must include the FDA product code, common name of the food, estimated quantity, manufacturing facility name and FDA registration number, shipper name and address, importer or consignee details, anticipated port of entry, and arrival date. For Nigerian agricultural exports like sesame seeds and cashew nuts, correct FDA product classification is critical. Using an incorrect product code is one of the fastest ways to trigger a shipment hold.

Common Prior Notice mistakes by Nigerian exporters

The most frequent error is filing with an expired FDA facility registration number. Registrations must be renewed biennially during October-December of even-numbered years. The second error is product description mismatches between the filing and the actual shipment. The third issue is timing — filing too late or before confirming the arrival date. Nigerian exporters should also be aware that products listed on FDA Import Alerts face automatic detention regardless of Prior Notice accuracy.

How FDABridge helps Nigerian exporters

FDABridge ensures your FDA food facility registration stays current, your US Agent is properly designated, and your facility data is accurate. We provide service in English to exporters across Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and throughout Nigeria. Visit fdabridge.com/food for our food export services or fdabridge.com/contact to speak with our team.