African Countries Trade Compliance Directory

Comprehensive guide to trade compliance requirements, ECTN/BESC certificates, and customs procedures across all African nations. Updated for 2025 regulations.

40
Countries Covered
25
Require ECTN/BESC
8
OFAC Sanctions
9
SGS Services
๐ŸŸข
7 Low Risk Countries
Streamlined procedures, minimal compliance requirements
๐ŸŸก
23 Medium Risk Countries
Moderate requirements, ECTN/BESC certificates needed
๐Ÿ”ด
10 High Risk Countries
Strict compliance, sanctions, or complex procedures
๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ฟ
Algeria
DZ
๐ŸŸข
LOW RISK
Simplified trade procedures under AfCFTA implementation
AfCFTAArab League
๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ด
Angola
AO
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ CNCA / ARCCLA Required
CNCA / ARCCLA
Cargo Tracking Note
CNCA certificate mandatory for all sea freight shipments
AfCFTASADC
๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฏ
Benin
BJ
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ BESC / ECTN Required
BESC / ECTN
Cargo Tracking Note
BESC certificate mandatory for all sea freight to Cotonou port
AfCFTAECOWASWAEMU
๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ซ
Burkina Faso
BF
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ DOCS Required
ECTN/BSC certificate mandatory for sea freight via transit ports
AfCFTAECOWASWAEMU
๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฎ
Burundi
BI
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ DOCS Required
ECTN certificate mandatory for all sea freight
AfCFTAEACCOMESA
๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฒ
Cameroon
CM
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ DOCS Requiredโœ… SGS
BESC certificate mandatory for all sea freight to Douala and Kribi ports
AfCFTACEMACECOWAS Observer
๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ซ
Central African Republic
CF
๐Ÿ”ด
HIGH RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ PVoC / PCA Requiredโš ๏ธ Sanctionsโœ… SGS
PVoC / PCA
Product Conformity Assessment
OFAC Central African Republic Sanctions remain active
AfCFTACEMAC
๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ฉ
Chad
TD
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ DOCS Required
ECTN certificate mandatory for sea freight via transit ports
AfCFTACEMAC
๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฎ
Cรดte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
CI
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ DOCS Requiredโœ… SGS
BSC Yรผkleme Sertifikasฤฑ mandatory for all sea freight shipments
AfCFTAECOWASWAEMU
๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฉ
Democratic Republic of Congo
CD
๐Ÿ”ด
HIGH RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ DOCS Requiredโš ๏ธ Sanctions
FERI certificate mandatory for all sea freight - 20% penalty for non-compliance
AfCFTASADCCEMAC
๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ฏ
Djibouti
DJ
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ DOCS Required
ECTN certificate mandatory for all sea freight
AfCFTACOMESAArab League
๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ฌ
Egypt
EG
๐ŸŸข
LOW RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ DOCS Requiredโœ… SGS
ACID certificate requirements updated for all sea freight
AfCFTACOMESAArab League
๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ถ
Equatorial Guinea
GQ
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ DOCS Required
ECTN certificate mandatory for all sea freight
AfCFTACEMAC
๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡น
Ethiopia
ET
๐Ÿ”ด
HIGH RISK
โš ๏ธ Sanctionsโœ… SGS
OFAC Ethiopia-Related Sanctions remain active
AfCFTA
๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
Gabon
GA
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ PVoC / CoC Requiredโœ… SGS
PVoC / CoC
Product Conformity Assessment
BIETC certificate mandatory for all sea freight shipments
AfCFTACEMAC
๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ฒ
Gambia
GM
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ CTN / BSC Required
CTN / BSC
Cargo Tracking Note
CTN certificate mandatory for all sea freight shipments
AfCFTAECOWAS
๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ญ
Ghana
GH
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ ECTN / SPN Required
ECTN / SPN
Cargo Tracking Note
ECTN/SPN certificate fees adjusted - 10% increase from March 2024
AfCFTAECOWASWAEMU
๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ณ
Guinea
GN
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ DOCS Required
ECTN certificate mandatory for all sea freight
AfCFTAECOWAS
๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ผ
Guinea-Bissau
GW
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ DOCS Required
CEE certificate mandatory for all sea freight
AfCFTAECOWAS
๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ช
Kenya
KE
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
โœ… SGS
PVoC
Product Conformity Assessment
Kenya Single Window System (KenTrade) major upgrade completed
AfCFTAEACCOMESA
๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡ท
Liberia
LR
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ CTN / ACD Required
CTN / ACD
Cargo Tracking Note
CTN certificate mandatory for all sea freight shipments
AfCFTAECOWAS
๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡พ
Libya
LY
๐Ÿ”ด
HIGH RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ ECTN Required
ECTN
Cargo Tracking Note
ECTN certificate mandatory for all sea freight since January 1, 2021
AfCFTAArab League
๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฌ
Madagascar
MG
๐Ÿ”ด
HIGH RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ BSC Required
BSC
Cargo Tracking Note
BSC certificate mandatory for all sea freight above 100 EUR FOB value
AfCFTASADCCOMESA
๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฑ
Mali
ML
๐Ÿ”ด
HIGH RISK
โš ๏ธ Sanctions
OFAC Mali-Related Sanctions targeting specific individuals
AfCFTAECOWASWAEMU
๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
Morocco
MA
๐ŸŸข
LOW RISK
โœ… SGS
CoC / PCA
Product Conformity Assessment
Certificate of Conformity mandatory for regulated products
AfCFTAArab LeagueEU Association Agreement
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ช
Niger
NE
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ DOCS Required
BSC certificate mandatory for sea freight via transit ports
AfCFTAECOWASWAEMU
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฌ
Nigeria
NG
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
CTN
Cargo Tracking Note
CTN certificate currently not mandatory - status under review by Nigerian government
AfCFTAECOWAS
๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฌ
Republic of Congo
CG
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ DOCS Required
ECTN certificate mandatory for all sea freight
AfCFTACEMAC
๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ผ
Rwanda
RW
๐ŸŸข
LOW RISK
Digital trade facilitation platform fully operational
AfCFTAEACCOMESA
๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ณ
Senegal
SN
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ BSC / ECTN Required
BSC / ECTN
Cargo Tracking Note
BSC certificate mandatory for all sea freight shipments
AfCFTAECOWASWAEMU
๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฑ
Sierra Leone
SL
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ DOCS Required
ECTN certificate mandatory for all sea freight
AfCFTAECOWAS
๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ด
Somalia
SO
๐Ÿ”ด
HIGH RISK
โš ๏ธ Sanctions
OFAC Somalia Sanctions continue with arms embargo
AfCFTA
๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
South Africa
ZA
๐ŸŸข
LOW RISK
Digital customs platform (eFiling) full implementation completed
AfCFTASADCSACU
๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ธ
South Sudan
SS
๐Ÿ”ด
HIGH RISK
โš ๏ธ Sanctions
OFAC South Sudan-Related Sanctions remain active
AfCFTA
๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฉ
Sudan
SD
๐Ÿ”ด
HIGH RISK
โš ๏ธ Sanctions
OFAC Sudan and Darfur Sanctions updated January 2025
AfCFTA
๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ฟ
Tanzania
TZ
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
โœ… SGS
PVoC / CoC
Product Conformity Assessment
Pre-Verification of Conformity mandatory for regulated products
AfCFTAEACSADC
๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ฌ
Togo
TG
๐ŸŸก
MEDIUM RISK
๐Ÿ“‹ DOCS Required
ECTN certificate mandatory for all sea freight to Lomรฉ port
AfCFTAECOWASWAEMU
๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ณ
Tunisia
TN
๐ŸŸข
LOW RISK
Digital trade facilitation platform fully operational
AfCFTAEU Association AgreementArab League
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฌ
Uganda
UG
๐ŸŸข
LOW RISK
EAC customs union procedures streamlined
AfCFTAEACCOMESA
๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ผ
Zimbabwe
ZW
๐Ÿ”ด
HIGH RISK
โš ๏ธ Sanctions
US targeted sanctions remain in place for designated individuals
AfCFTASADC

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