Ask most Nigerians in the UK how they send things home and you'll hear the same word: barrel. One strong drum can hold rice, tins, toiletries, clothes for the kids, pots and pans and a few presents, all sealed up together and delivered to the family's door. Pack it properly and it's one of the cheapest ways to send a mix of things to Nigeria. Pack it badly and it turns up leaking, broken or stuck at the port.
Here's what a shipping barrel actually is, what to put in it and what to leave out, how to pack it so everything survives the journey, how long it takes and how customs looks at it.
In this guide
What is a shipping barrel?
It's a large drum, usually blue plastic, with a lid that's held shut by a metal clamp ring. The usual size is around 200 to 220 litres, often called a 55-gallon drum. You'll see fibre drums used as well. Barrels are tough, waterproof and stack neatly in a container, which is why they're so popular for sea cargo.
They nearly always go by sea. A packed barrel is heavy, and sending the same weight by air would cost far more.
Barrel or boxes?
| Barrel | Boxes | |
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Rigid, waterproof and hard to crush | Can get crushed or wet |
| Security | Sealed with a clamp ring, hard to open on the way | Easier to open and reseal |
| Handling | Heavy and awkward once it's full | Easier to lift and carry |
| Afterwards | Gets reused at home for water or storage | Usually thrown away |
| Best for | Food, toiletries and mixed household things | Clothes, light items and flat-packed goods |
Plenty of families send both: a barrel for the heavy and breakable things, and a couple of boxes for clothes.
What usually goes in
- Dry food: rice, pasta, cereal, drinks powder, tins, seasoning
- Toiletries: soap, toothpaste, lotion, sanitary products
- Clothes and shoes for the family
- Kitchen things: pots, utensils, small appliances
- School supplies, books and toys
- Bedding and towels, which double up as padding
What to leave out
- Aerosols, lots of perfume, lighters and matches. These count as dangerous goods and can't go in an undeclared barrel.
- Loose batteries and power banks.
- Fresh or perishable food, or anything that could go off over a few weeks at sea.
- Liquids that could leak, like cooking oil or drinks, unless they're sealed properly (more on that below).
- Medicines beyond personal use, which may need NAFDAC approval.
- Used clothing in commercial quantities. Second-hand clothing is on Nigeria's import prohibition list. Family clothes in normal amounts are fine to list; bulk bags for resale aren't.
- Counterfeit goods of any kind.
- Cash, jewellery and important documents. Send these another way.
Not sure about something? WhatsApp us your list before you start packing and we'll tell you.
Packing a barrel, step by step
- Start clean and dry. Wipe the barrel out and line it with a big, heavy-duty bin bag.
- Heaviest things at the bottom. Bags of rice, tins and bottles go in first, so the barrel sits steady and nothing heavy ends up crushing what's underneath.
- Seal every liquid. Tape the lids down, put each bottle in its own zip bag and stand bottles upright.
- Wrap anything fragile in towels or clothes and put it in the middle, away from the sides and the lid.
- Fill every gap. Use soft things to pack out the spaces. If a barrel rattles, something's going to break.
- Put your list on top. Pop a copy of the packing list just under the lid, and keep a copy and a photo yourself.
- Close it properly. Fit the lid, tighten the clamp ring and add a seal or padlock if you've got one.
- Label the outside. Write both names, both phone numbers and the destination city on the barrel, and tape a second label to the lid.
- Watch the weight. A full barrel can be very heavy. Check your shipper's weight limit before you fill it to the brim.
- Take photos of what's inside and of the sealed barrel. They help if there's ever a query.
Why your packing list matters
Customs officers in Lagos decide how to treat your barrel based on what's declared and what they find. An honest, itemised list with quantities gets it through faster. Something vague like "food and clothes", or contents that don't match the list, is an open invitation for a physical check and a delay.
Barrels are meant for personal and household goods for your family. But a barrel full of the same new product, say forty phone cases or twenty bottles of the same cream, looks like stock for sale and can be charged duty as commercial goods. If you're sending things to sell, tell us and we'll ship them the right way.
How long does a barrel take?
By sea, a barrel usually takes 22 to 30 days from collection in the UK to delivery in Lagos. The run-up to Christmas is the busiest time of year on this route, so book early if you want it there for the holidays. Delivery outside Lagos adds a few days by road.
Sending a barrel with Doubleway
- Tell us what you're sending on WhatsApp, and how many barrels and boxes.
- Get a quote with collection, sea freight, clearing and delivery listed separately.
- Drop it off or book a collection from any UK address.
- Follow it on WhatsApp while it's at sea.
- We clear it in Lagos and deliver it to your family's door, in Lagos or any other state.
Sending more than a barrel? Our guide to shipping from the UK to Nigeria covers air and sea, costs and paperwork, and our sea freight service handles anything from a single barrel to a full container.
Questions people ask us
How long does it take to ship a barrel to Nigeria from the UK?
Usually 22 to 30 days door to door by sea, and longer in the busy weeks before Christmas.
Can I send food in a barrel to Nigeria?
Yes. Dry, sealed food is one of the most common things people send. Leave out fresh food and anything that could go off over a few weeks.
Can I send clothes in a barrel?
Yes, clothes for your family in normal amounts. Used clothing in commercial quantities is banned from import into Nigeria.
Where can I get a shipping barrel in the UK?
Lots of cargo companies sell or supply them, and you can buy them online. Ask us when you book and we'll tell you which size works best.
Will my family pay duty on a barrel?
Personal and household goods in normal amounts are what barrels are for. Commercial quantities can pay duty. We check your list before it ships and tell you what to expect.
Ready to send a barrel home?
WhatsApp us with what you're packing, or ask for a quote online. We collect from anywhere in the UK.
