Explosive and Explosive Devices

GUIDELINES FOR PROCURING EXPLOSIVES & EXPLOSIVE DEVICES

Welcome to the Federal Government End-User Certificate (EUC) Application Web Portal. This web portal is intended to give access to members of the Nigerian general public applying for EUCs, for the acquisition or use of EUC-controlled items and products within Nigeria.

NOTE:
ALL EUC requests/applications are subject to screening by the Department of State Services before approval or otherwise.
Refer to the Full HS Codes on the list of guidelines. It contains the custom codes for the identification and categorization of all controlled items. It shall be used when making EUC requests/applications on the EUC portal.
In the event that a EUC application covers more than one item, collate specified application supporting documents for all items under one document and attach them where appropriate. For instance, If the EUC application for Chemicals covers Toluene, Sulphuric Acid, and Urea; from different vendors, the Proforma Invoice for the (3) chemicals should be scanned into one (1) document and uploaded under the field where Proforma Invoice is requested for.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS REQUIREMENTS

• Certificate of Incorporation
• Articles & Memorandum of Association
• Form CO7
• Current-Year Tax Clearance Certificate
• FIRS Certificate
• Proforma Invoice
• Form M from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
• Bill of Laden or Airway Bill
• Packing List (not mandatory)
• Certificate of Analysis (not mandatory)
• Permit to Import Explosives (Received from Ministry of Mines & Steel Dev.)
• License to Sell Explosives (Received from Ministry of Mines & Steel Dev.)
• Last 1 Year EUCs
• Magazine Licenses
• Transporter & Vehicle Particulars
• Distribution Network of Previous Importation – beneficiaries & stock balances
• Approved Responsible Officer (ARO) Identification & Licenses

Permits to import explosives and fireworks must be obtained from the relevant government agencies as EUCs for these items cannot be issued without such permits.  For military purposes, requests for explosives must be made by the relevant military authorities who are the end users.  The Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals is responsible for issuing licenses for explosives meant for use by construction companies.  As an added security check, EUC applications by individual companies will be forwarded to the Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals which will authenticate such requests.  A fireworks importation permit is issued by the Inspector General of Police.

Chemical Used for Explosives.

The same conditions for the importation of explosives apply to chemicals used for making explosives.  The Ministry of Mines and Solid Mineral, Ministry of Agriculture and NAFDAC are responsible for licensing importers of chemicals while specific requests for EUC will be forwarded to the concerned ministries.  Such applications must state the location in Nigeria where the items are to be used, list of customers, details of sales for one year, magazine licence, vehicle particulars, driver’s license and picture of the driver.

EXTRA GUIDELINES ON THE IMPORTATION OF AMMONIUM NITRATE

Ammonium Nitrate has been classified as an explosive component. This is based on confirmation of its extensive use by insurgent groups in the explosives production chain. This confirmation was made by a Technical Committee on Control of Explosives, Accessories and Ammonium Nitrate; of which Nigeria Customs Service was represented.  This classification implies that Ammonium Nitrate is not allowed to be imported either as chemical or fertilizer, but can be imported as explosives provided all the updated guidelines on the issuance of End User Certificates (EUC) for explosives and accessories are followed.

1. The following are the only types of fertilizer that are allowed to be imported into Nigeria as provided for in the Ministry of Agriculture’s National Fertilizer Programme:
2. Urea – Prilled CO (NH2)2, contains 45% Nitrogen and can be used to produce Urea Nitrate; a high-explosive material used in IEDs by simply adding Nitric Acid.
3. Granular Urea – Same description as Urea.
4. NPK 20 -10 -10.
5. NPK 15-15-15.
6. NPK 12-12-17 +Mgo.
7. Single Super Phosphate. (SSP).
8. NPK 20-20-20.
9. Triple – Super Phosphate.
10. Muriate of Potash (MOP).
11. Mono Ammonium Phosphate (MAP) containing 11% Nitrogen content.
12. Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) containing 18% Nitrogen content.

Considering the possibilities of enriching some of these forms of fertilizer into explosive compounds, additional security measures have also been emplaced to control their importation, manufacture, distribution and handling.  Applications for EUC have to be accompanied by the following documents and submitted to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) through the Ministry of Agriculture:

1. Details including biographical data (name, picture, age, contact details, NOK, thumbprint etc) of the member of staff that will be responsible for the receipt and movement of stock from the port to the company storage facility.
2. Details of vehicle, route and timing of movement.
3. Details of clients or consumers including sales for the last Six (6) months.
4. Details of companies’ storage facilities including emplaced safety and security measures.
5. Details of the stock holding of products for the last 6 months.