What to pack for a China buying trip from Nigeria

What to pack for a China trip from Nigeria: the yellow fever card, documents, how much cash and which card, medicines controlled in China, the plug and the phone.

You do not need to carry half of Nigeria to Guangzhou.

Most things are easier to buy after you land.

The items that actually matter are:

passport + visa

yellow fever certificate

money/payment setup

phone and essential apps

legal medicines

and:

the documents for your trip.

Everything else is comfort.

Pack those first.

Keep these in your hand luggage #

Do not put the important documents inside checked baggage.

Carry:

• passport
• valid China visa
• yellow fever certificate
• flight itinerary
• hotel booking
• invitation/Canton Fair documents
• travel insurance
• supplier addresses
• copies of important documents

Then keep digital copies on your phone and somewhere online.

If your suitcase disappears, your trip can still continue.

Passport and China visa #

Your passport should obviously remain valid for the trip and contain the China visa you were issued.

China's normal visa-application rules require passports with at least:

six months' remaining validity

and blank visa pages.

Before leaving home, check the actual visa sticker for:

Enter Before

Number of Entries

and:

Duration of Each Stay.

Those numbers control the trip.

Do not assume the dates on your flight ticket are automatically allowed because the visa was approved.

Use China visa validity and duration of stay before travelling.

Yellow fever certificate: take the original #

A traveller arriving in China from a yellow-fever-risk country such as Nigeria should carry a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate.

China requires proof of yellow fever vaccination for travellers aged nine months and above arriving from countries with yellow-fever transmission risk.

For Nigerian travellers, this is one document worth keeping beside the passport.

Do not put it in checked luggage.

Your yellow fever certificate does not expire after 10 years #

This is an important correction.

Under the International Health Regulations, a properly issued yellow fever vaccination certificate is now:

valid for the lifetime of the vaccinated person.

The old 10-year expiry rule ended in 2016.

If you received the primary vaccination recently, the certificate normally becomes valid:

10 days after vaccination.

So do not leave it until two days before your flight.

Nigeria's e-Yellow Card #

Nigerian citizens and residents who need proof of yellow fever vaccination use the country's official e-Yellow Card system through Port Health.

Despite the name, the traveller still receives a physical certificate with electronic verification features.

Use the official Nigerian Port Health route.

Do not buy a yellow card from somebody outside the airport who says:

“No need for vaccine, I will arrange it.”

Complete China's arrival card before you travel #

Since 20 November 2025, foreign travellers can complete China's arrival card online before arriving.

The official channels include:

• National Immigration Administration website
• NIA 12367 app
• NIA 12367 WeChat mini-program
• NIA 12367 Alipay mini-program.

The service is:

free.

China's NIA has specifically warned travellers about fake websites charging money for it.

If you do not complete it before travelling, you can still do it at the airport or use the paper form where available.

Carry your hotel details #

Save:

hotel name in English

hotel name in Chinese

full Chinese address

telephone number

and:

booking confirmation.

Have them:

on your phone

and preferably:

in a screenshot that works offline.

Immigration may ask where you are staying.

More importantly, your taxi or DiDi driver needs the Chinese address.

Use where to stay in Guangzhou and maps in China.

Canton Fair travellers #

If the trip is for Canton Fair, also carry:

• Fair invitation
• buyer registration confirmation
• badge-related documents
• the correct phase dates
• hotel booking matching your Fair dates

Keep the digital versions available offline.

Our Canton Fair buyer badge guide covers the registration side.

Supplier addresses should be in Chinese #

Do not travel with only:

“ABC Lighting Co., Guangzhou.”

Ask every supplier to send:

company name in Chinese

full Chinese address

location pin

and:

contact person's WeChat.

Screenshot everything.

Finding a Chinese factory by its English marketing name can be surprisingly difficult.

How much cash can you leave Nigeria with? #

Nigeria does not ban you from travelling with more than US$10,000.

It requires you to declare it.

Nigeria Customs says any traveller carrying foreign currency, negotiable instruments or relevant valuables worth:

US$10,000 or more

must submit a currency declaration and have it validated by Customs at the border.

The declaration is free.

So:

US$9,999 ≠ declaration threshold reached

US$10,000+ = declare.

Do not hide cash because you think declaration means confiscation.

It means declaration.

Nigeria now has an electronic currency declaration #

Nigeria Customs operates an:

Electronic Currency Declaration Form — e-CDF.

You can complete the information online and then present yourself to Customs for validation.

If you are carrying a large amount, complete the process properly.

A Customs problem at Lagos airport is a terrible way to start a buying trip.

How much cash can you take into China? #

China has a different threshold.

Inbound passengers should declare when carrying:

RMB 20,000 or more

or:

foreign-currency cash equivalent to US$5,000 or more.

If you bring more than US$5,000 and expect to take the remaining foreign currency back out later, keep the Customs declaration documentation.

It can matter when leaving China.

Do not carry supplier money in your suitcase #

Your trip cash should cover things such as:

food

transport

hotel

small samples

and:

daily spending.

A container deposit should not be:

US$20,000 stuffed inside your hand luggage.

Serious supplier payments should leave a proper financial trail.

Use how to pay a Chinese supplier from Nigeria.

Do not assume your Nigerian card will work #

Card policies differ by Nigerian bank and card type.

Before travelling:

call the bank

enable international transactions if necessary

and:

test the card.

If you have a legitimate foreign-currency Visa or Mastercard, it can be useful.

Then link your usable card to:

Alipay

and:

WeChat Pay

before leaving Nigeria.

Do not wait until you are hungry at Guangzhou Airport.

Your payment setup should have three layers #

A good setup is:

1. Alipay / WeChat Pay

for most normal spending.

2. Working international card

as the funding source and backup.

3. Some RMB cash

for emergencies.

Do not depend entirely on one payment method.

Use our WeChat Pay and Alipay guide.

Medicines: bring only what you genuinely need #

China permits travellers to carry reasonable quantities of normal medication for personal use.

Chinese guidance says ordinary personal medication should be:

for personal use

and:

within a reasonable quantity.

Keep medicines:

in their original packaging.

For prescription medication, bring:

the prescription

or:

doctor's documentation.

Controlled medicines need more care #

China places stricter rules on narcotic and psychotropic medicines.

Official guidance says travellers carrying controlled narcotic or Category I psychotropic medication for treatment should have:

medical diagnosis documentation

and:

valid identification,

with quantities limited under the applicable prescription rules.

So if you take a medicine that is:

strong pain medication

ADHD medication

sedative

sleeping medication

or another controlled drug,

check the exact Chinese classification before travelling.

Do not rely on:

“I bought it legally in Nigeria.”

Different country, different drug rules.

Basic medicines worth packing #

For an ordinary short business trip, a small personal kit is enough.

Consider:

• your regular medication
• paracetamol
• antihistamine
• oral rehydration salts
• basic stomach remedy
• plasters

Do not bring a pharmacy.

Guangzhou has hospitals, licensed pharmacies and medicine-delivery services.

Food: leave the stockfish at home #

China has strict quarantine rules covering:

animals

animal products

fresh fruit

plants

seeds

and other agricultural products.

That creates problems for common Nigerian travel food such as:

stockfish

dried fish

crayfish

kilishi

and similar animal products.

The simplest advice:

do not pack them.

What about garri and dry food? #

Processed plant-based dry foods can be less problematic than animal products, but Customs and quarantine rules still apply.

If you do not know whether something needs declaration:

declare it.

China Customs itself says passengers who do not understand which channel to use should use the:

Things-to-Declare Channel.

For a two-week Guangzhou trip, bringing a suitcase full of food usually creates more trouble than it solves.

Xiaobei has African restaurants and shops.

Power: China and Nigeria are both around 220V #

You generally do not need a voltage converter for normal Nigerian:

phones

laptops

and:

chargers.

The more useful item is:

one universal travel adapter.

China commonly uses:

Type A

Type C

and:

Type I

sockets.

A good universal adapter is enough.

The power-bank rule changed in 2025 #

This matters if you will fly inside China.

From 28 June 2025, China's Civil Aviation Administration prohibited passengers from carrying power banks on domestic flights where the unit:

has no CCC/3C certification mark

has an unclear CCC mark

or:

belongs to a recalled model/batch.

So if your itinerary includes:

Guangzhou → Yiwu

Guangzhou → Shanghai

or another domestic flight,

check the power bank.

A random unit purchased in Nigeria may not have the required Chinese CCC mark.

You do not need to panic about the flight into China #

The specific CCC rule is aimed at:

domestic flights within China.

Your international airline also has its own lithium-battery and power-bank limits.

Check those separately before leaving Nigeria.

If you plan several internal flights, buying a compliant CCC-marked power bank from a reputable store in China can be simpler.

Prepare your phone before leaving Nigeria #

Do the setup while your Nigerian internet still works.

Install and update:

• WeChat
• Alipay
• Trip.com
• Amap if you plan to use it
• Apple Maps if on iPhone
• Youdao Translate
• Microsoft Translator

Download:

Simplified Chinese offline translation packs

before departure.

Use best translation apps for China.

WhatsApp and Google need planning #

Do not assume normal mainland mobile data will behave like Nigerian internet.

On ordinary mainland Chinese internet, services including:

WhatsApp

and many:

Google services

may be unavailable or restricted.

A properly routed international travel eSIM can be useful if access to those services matters to you.

Set it up before flying.

Use does WhatsApp work in China and China SIM card for Nigerians.

One phone or two? #

One good dual-SIM phone is enough for most travellers.

Some traders prefer:

Nigerian SIM + travel eSIM

on the same phone.

Keep the Nigerian number active for:

bank OTPs

email recovery

and:

important SMS.

Turn Nigerian mobile data off if roaming costs are high.

What clothes should you pack? #

Guangzhou is warm and humid for much of the year.

Do not overpack.

April Canton Fair #

Pack:

light clothes

comfortable shoes

small umbrella

and:

one light layer.

Spring can be wet.

October Canton Fair #

Mostly:

light clothes

plus:

one light jacket.

Summer #

Very:

hot + humid.

Pack breathable clothes.

Cooler months #

Take a light jacket or sweater.

You can buy anything else in Guangzhou.

Shoes matter more than clothes #

For Canton Fair and wholesale markets:

comfort beats fashion.

You may walk for hours on:

concrete halls

metro stations

and:

market corridors.

Bring at least one pair of shoes you already know you can walk in all day.

Do not break in new shoes at Canton Fair.

The business kit #

This is the part Nigerian buyers usually forget.

Pack:

Notebook + pens

Phone battery dies.

Paper does not.

Calculator

Useful for negotiating prices without translation problems.

Tape measure

Check:

carton dimensions

product dimensions

and:

sample sizes.

Those numbers affect freight.

Shopping list

Product photo.

Specification.

Target quantity.

Maximum target price.

Small folding bag

For catalogues and samples.

Business cards

Optional, but still useful for supplier meetings.

Put carton measurements in your notes #

For anything you may buy, ask:

carton length

width

height

gross weight

units per carton.

Do not return to Nigeria with only:

“Supplier said shipping is cheap.”

Those numbers let you price air freight or CBM properly.

Use shipping cost from China to Nigeria per kg.

Samples can destroy your baggage allowance #

You arrive with:

one suitcase.

Then you buy:

shoes

tiles

electronics

fabric books

machine parts

and:

catalogues.

Suddenly you are overweight.

Before buying samples, check the baggage allowance printed on your actual ticket.

Do not assume every airline or fare gives the same allowance.

For heavy samples, shipping them through your cargo company may cost less than airline excess baggage.

Use samples from China to Nigeria.

What should never go in your suitcase? #

Anything you did not personally pack.

No:

friend's parcel

supplier's sealed package

“small gift for my brother in Lagos”

or:

unknown envelope.

You are legally responsible for what you carry.

This rule works in both directions.

China to Nigeria.

Nigeria to China.

Use staying safe in Guangzhou.

The one-hour packing checklist #

DOCUMENTS #

✓ Passport

✓ China visa

✓ Yellow fever certificate

✓ Flight booking

✓ Hotel confirmation

✓ Arrival-card details

✓ Canton Fair invitation/badge documents if applicable

✓ Travel insurance

✓ Copies stored separately

MONEY #

✓ Working international payment method

✓ Alipay configured

✓ WeChat Pay configured

✓ Some RMB cash

✓ Currency declaration completed if thresholds apply

PHONE #

✓ WeChat

✓ Alipay

✓ Trip.com

✓ Maps

✓ Translation apps

✓ eSIM ready

✓ Nigerian SIM active for OTP

HEALTH #

✓ Regular medication

✓ Prescription/doctor's letter where needed

✓ Basic personal medicine kit

POWER #

✓ Universal adapter

✓ Chargers

✓ CCC-marked power bank if taking domestic China flights

BUSINESS #

✓ Shopping list

✓ Supplier addresses in Chinese

✓ Calculator

✓ Notebook

✓ Tape measure

✓ Folding sample/catalogue bag

CLOTHES #

✓ Light clothes

✓ Comfortable walking shoes

✓ Small umbrella

✓ Light jacket when season requires it

That is enough.

The short answer #

Do not pack for China as though you are moving there.

Pack what would be difficult to replace:

passport

visa

yellow fever certificate

money/payment access

prescription medicine

and:

business information.

The yellow fever certificate is now valid for life, not 10 years.

Leaving Nigeria with US$10,000 or more requires a Customs currency declaration.

Entering China with RMB20,000 or more, or foreign-currency cash equivalent to US$5,000 or more, requires declaration.

And if you will take domestic flights inside China, a power bank without a clear CCC/3C mark can be stopped at security under the rule in force since June 2025.

Everything else can usually be bought in Guangzhou.

Before flying, continue with flights from Nigeria to Guangzhou.

Then read arriving at Guangzhou airport.

And finish with staying safe in Guangzhou.

First published 23 Sep 2026. Last checked 23 Sep 2026 by The ChinaBridge desk. Something here out of date? Tell us in the comments and we will fix it.