Car Prices in Cotonou vs Nigeria: Duty and Clearing Calculator

Are cars really cheaper in Benin Republic than in Nigeria? Sometimes, a lot. The answer depends on the model and on where the car will be used.

This free calculator puts the numbers side by side: the price in Cotonou, the price in Nigeria, the clearing cost and the duty. Every price shows its source and the date we checked it.

Prices and rates last checked: 20 October 2026.

Pick a car (new or tokunbo), then your situation. The results show ranges, not one exact figure, because dealers, customs valuations and exchange rates all vary.

For some models the gap at the showroom is large. A new Toyota Hilux 3.0 double cab is listed by Toyota CFAO Bénin at 21,900,000 to 27,900,000 FCFA. That is about ₦50M to ₦63M at the official rate. 2026 Hilux dealer ads in Nigeria ask about ₦85M to ₦135M. Chinese SUVs and pickups (Changan Uni-K, BYD Song Plus, JAC T8) show Nigerian prices about 30% to over 100% above the Benin list price converted at the official rate (Nigerian guide prices move often; the calculator shows the dated figures).

Not every model works this way. The Toyota Corolla Cross costs about the same in both countries. For the Fortuner, one Nigerian aggregator price is even lower than the Benin list price.

Three reasons explain most of the gap:

• Benin taxes new cars lightly on purpose. Since the 2022 Finance Law, new cars get a 90% cut on their customs value (more for hybrids and electric cars) and no import VAT. The measure has been renewed every year since, including for 2026.

• Nigeria taxes fully built cars heavily. Duty, levies, surcharge, ECOWAS levy, CISS, a green tax on larger engines and 7.5% VAT are stacked on top of the car's value.

• Currency. The FCFA is pegged to the euro (1 EUR = 655.957 FCFA). The naira has fallen a lot, so naira prices of imported cars have risen.

Watch the currency when someone quotes you a price. 50 million FCFA is about ₦114 million at the official rate, not ₦50 million. Our calculator always shows the FCFA price and both naira conversions: the official CBN rate (₦2,274.6 per 1,000 FCFA on 19 October 2026) and a street rate (₦2,300 to ₦2,350 per 1,000 FCFA, an average of changers in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt, not Cotonou, 20 October 2026).

A car bought in Cotonou for use in Nigeria goes by sea to a Nigerian port, with Form M, PAAR and Nigerian duty. A Japanese or Chinese car bought in Cotonou is not of ECOWAS origin, so it gets no ECOWAS duty-free treatment.

Take a new Toyota RAV4 2.0 Comfort 4x4 at 26,900,000 FCFA in Cotonou. Before freight, our estimate for its Lagos landed cost is about ₦88M to ₦104M. That covers the car's value plus Nigerian duties, levies and VAT (₦26M to ₦40M, because sources disagree on the duty rate) and Lagos agent, terminal and trucking fees. Nigerian listings for the same model ask ₦63M to ₦90M. So for this model, the Lagos landed cost is close to or above the Nigerian price. The calculator shows the same comparison for every car.

If you import a used car through the Port of Cotonou and keep it in Benin, you pay Benin customs duty and taxes. Customs does not use your invoice. It values the car from its own reference list (the Argus). Under a customs note signed on 20 August 2026, used cars arriving by land are no longer cleared at the border: they are checked against the Argus at a regional customs office.

The official Benin formula (customs brochure of 2020, worked case for a large-engine passenger car) is:

• customs duty 20%, plus levies of 0.8%, 0.5%, 1%, 0.2% and 0.5% of the customs value;

• VAT 18% on the value plus those items;

• an extra 10% tax for large-engine passenger cars;

• 50,000 F and 10,000 F flat fees per vehicle.

That comes to about 45% of the customs value, or about 57% for a large engine. In practice, transitaires quote lower: about 32% of the CIF value (40% for 13 CV fiscal and above), plus about 98,600 F of fixed fees. Port, transitaire and plates add about 550,000 F, and some forwarders quote US$1,500 to US$2,500 in local charges.

Example: a 2015 Toyota Corolla imported from the USA with a CIF value of about 4,900,000 FCFA. Duties and taxes come to about 1,650,000 F (transitaire guide) to 2,271,860 F (official formula). The total landed cost in Cotonou is about 7.1 to 8.6 million FCFA before registration and insurance.

Clearing in Cotonou is also fast: cargo spends about 4 days in the port, against 18 to 21 days at Nigeria's major ports (figures quoted by Nigeria's Vice President, reported in September 2026).

Before you pay for any used car:

• run a VIN history check (Carfax, AutoCheck or NMVTIS), because flood and salvage cars from US auctions do reach West Africa;

• ask for the bon à enlever, the customs receipt (quittance) and the original title, and match the chassis number;

• if the car is for Nigeria by sea, check its age. Nigeria's limit is 12 years from manufacture on the stricter reading (some official pages say 15), so confirm with a licensed agent.

The calculator gives honest ranges. For an exact price on a specific car, tap "Get an exact quote / I want this car" in the calculator. Your request opens in WhatsApp, ready to send to Beninfo247. Nothing is stored on this page. You can also see the foreign-used cars Beninfo247 has listed, with the date each price was set. Ask us if a car is still available.

Coming to Cotonou to see a car? Plan your visit in 3D with Ceety Boy. Explore the city, the Port of Cotonou and car repair and parts shops before you travel.

Are cars cheaper in Benin Republic than in Nigeria?
Some new cars are much cheaper at the showroom in Cotonou, especially the Toyota Hilux and Chinese SUVs and pickups. Others, like the Corolla Cross, cost about the same. The biggest savings are on cars bought and used in Benin.

How much does it cost to clear a car in Cotonou?
For a used passenger car kept in Benin, expect roughly 32% to 45% of the customs value in duties and taxes (more for large engines), plus about 550,000 F or more for port, transitaire and plates. Use the calculator with your own CIF value.

What are car prices in Cotonou in 2026?
In our sample of dealer list prices read on 20 October 2026, new cars ranged from 12.6 million FCFA (Geely Pro at Delta Motors) to 70.9 million FCFA (Land Cruiser 300 VX at CFAO; other Land Cruiser 300 versions are listed up to 103.9 million). Used cars on CoinAfrique Bénin on the same day ranged from about 1.5 million FCFA for older Honda Accords to 15 to 16.5 million FCFA for a 2025 RAV4. See our guide to cheap cars in Cotonou for more.

Is it cheaper to ship a car from Cotonou to Lagos?
Usually not. After Nigerian duty, levies and VAT, a car bought in Cotonou costs about the same as, or more than, the same car in Nigeria. You also pay sea freight and Lagos port charges.

Which exchange rate should I use?
Both. The official CBN rate (₦2,274.6 per 1,000 FCFA on 19 October 2026) and the street rate (about ₦2,300 to ₦2,350 per 1,000 FCFA) can differ by a few million naira on a car. Always ask which rate a seller uses.

Estimates only, not offers. Final duty is set by customs at clearance. Sources and dates are listed inside the calculator.

• Top ten cheap cars in Cotonou, Benin Republic

• Beninfo247 Cars

• Travelling from Nigeria to Cotonou

Note on import rules: Nigeria accepts vehicle imports through its seaports, and used cars must be within its age limit; imports through land borders have not been permitted since January 2017. A Benin resident can visit Nigeria with a Benin-registered car for up to 90 days with the right papers. Rules change, so check with a licensed customs agent before you buy.