Niger BESC (ECTN) Certificate: Niger ECTN Requirements

Benin transit (Cotonou): both the Niger BESC and the Benin BESC are required. Ivory Coast transit (Abidjan): only the Niger BESC is required. Ghana (Tema) / Nigeria (Lagos) transit: only the Niger BESC is required - no separate tracking note for Ghana or Nigeria.

Niger BESC Certificate

Niger or Nigeria? Niger (capital Niamey) and Nigeria (capital Abuja) are different countries and need different certificates: the Niger BESC (ECTN) for Niger and the Nigeria CTN for Nigeria.

Last Updated: 18 December 2025 – Regulations are subject to change.

To ensure a smooth customs clearance process for imports to the Republic of Niger, shippers must obtain a validated Bordereau Électronique de Suivi des Cargaisons (BESC).

Niger is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the northeast, Chad to the east, Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, and Algeria to the northwest. The capital and largest city is Niamey. The official language is French, and the population is around 23 million. Niger has a diverse culture with influences from the indigenous tribes, European colonizers, and the African diaspora.

How to Get a Niger BESC Certificate

The following documents are required for the Niger BESC:

• Bill of Lading (a draft copy opens the application)
• Commercial Invoice
• Freight Invoice (not required if the freight value is stated on the commercial invoice)
• Customs Declaration (mandatory for shipments arranged from abroad)

You must submit PDF copies of the documents. There is no need to send hard copies. Please ensure all documents are final, as a penalty fee applies for modifications made after validation.

Two-Step Validation Procedure

[!IMPORTANT] Number Printing Requirement: The Niger BESC validation is a two-step process:

1. Pre-Validation: Shippers submit drafts to obtain the official BESC number.
2. Final Validation: The BESC number must be printed on the Bill of Lading. A copy of this original Bill of Lading with the BESC number is required to finalize and validate the certificate.

Niger ECTN transit & port guidelines

[!WARNING] Benin Transit (Cotonou): If your shipment transits through Benin on its way to Niger, both certificates are required (Niger BESC and Benin BESC).

Ivory Coast Transit (Abidjan): If transiting through Abidjan, you do not need an Ivory Coast BSC. Only the Niger BESC is required.

Ghana/Nigeria Transit: If your cargo transits via Tema (Ghana) or Lagos (Nigeria), you do not need a tracking note for Ghana or Nigeria. Only the Niger BESC is required.

How long does Niger ECTN (BESC) approval take?

The draft Niger BESC is issued the same day your shipping documents reach us. Once the draft is checked and payment settled, the certificate goes for approval. All approvals are handled by the head office in Niamey. Approval normally comes within a few days, but it is worth allowing about a week so nothing is delayed.

The cargo reaches Niger through another port. Do we need a separate certificate?

Niger is a landlocked destination, so you have to check whether the port of arrival also requires a certificate. Most cargo bound for the country transits the ports of Cotonou (Benin) and Lomé (Togo). On those routes a separate ECTN must be issued for Benin and Togo: both the transit country’s certificate and the Niger one. If the Bill of Lading shows the port of discharge as Lagos (Nigeria) or Tema (Ghana), no additional certificate is needed; only the Niger BESC is required.

What is BESC?

BESC (Bordereau Électronique de Suivi des Cargaisons) is the name of Niger’s cargo tracking certificate.

Do I need a Niger BESC if the shipment transits Benin?

A shipment travelling to Niger through Benin needs two separate certificates: the BESC for Niger and the BESC for Benin.

Do I have to mention the Niger BESC number on the Bill of Lading?

Yes. The Niger BESC validation runs in two steps. The certificate is first pre-validated and the shipper is given the BESC number. To validate the certificate we then need a copy of the original Bill of Lading showing that BESC number.

Can I use the same BESC number for various shipments?

No. The BESC is unique and limited to a single shipment. Every cargo needs its own verified BESC number.

Official Niger ECTN sources

The Niger BESC is issued by Niger’s shippers’ council, CNUT (Conseil Nigérien des Utilisateurs de Transports Publics); the certificate names CNUT as the issuing body. CNUT was founded on 27 December 1984; it is Niger’s counterpart of the “Conseil des Chargeurs” in other West and Central African countries. It has port representations in Niger’s transit ports: Cotonou, Lomé, Tema, Lagos and Abidjan.

• CNUT - Niger official website
• CNUT: history
• CNUT: port representations (Cotonou, Lomé, Tema, Lagos, Abidjan)

Sources checked on 15 October 2026.