Thailand top car exporter to Benin and Western Africa

Jim is not just Thailand’s top car and 4×4 exporter or RHD and LHD pickups and SUVs to Southern Africa, Eastern Africa, Northern Africa and Central Africa but also to Western Africa. We are sending mostly Left Hand Drive vehicles to Western Africa. Please see their Images (Pics) at http://www.thailand-dealer.com/pics.html.

Please note that Jim is Thailand’s largest exporter to Africa. People may find it daunting to export to Benin but not with Jim. Email us now at [email protected] and discover the Jim difference. Jim is family-owned and family-operated since 1911 and is known for its superior integrity, great customer service, great prices, great selection, great quality and great speed of delivery.

Benin

The People’s Republic of Benin (formerly Dahomey) is situated in West Africa on the northern coast of the Gulf of Guinea, and has an area of 112,620 sq km (43,483 sq mi), extending 665 km (413 mi) N–S and 333 km (207 mi) E–W. Comparatively, the area occupied by Benin is slightly smaller than the state of Pennsylvania. Roughly wedge-shaped, Benin is bounded on the N by Niger, on the E by Nigeria, on the S by the Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean), on the W by Togo, and on the NW by Burkina Faso, with a total boundary length of 1,989 (1,233 mi). The capital city of Benin, Porto-Novo, is located in the southeastern corner of the country.

Benin has a small domestic market (population 7.3 million; 2003 per capita GNP of USD 1100). Benin is also a potential transshipment or production base for fellow member-countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS; population: over 180 million), most notably Nigeria (population: 130 million.

The port of Cotonou serves as a gateway for the sub-region with many goods –- including almost 350,000 used cars per year — arriving destined for Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Niger and other countries in West Africa. Formerly among the best ports in the region in terms of the speed at which cargo is unloaded and clears customs, it has faced increasing delays, blamed in large part on corruption. Average processing time to clear a shipment from the port is two weeks. Cotonou’s Port has therefore lost market to more efficient regional facilities such as the port in neighboring Lomé, Togo. Port authorities, under the leadership of a new director, have recently made efforts to improve the level of service through opening of a guichet unique, a one-stop processing facility to clear goods through the port. A large-scale port security upgrade is also underway. But these measures did not prevent the car dealers’ sales from decreasing from 3 billions CFA to 1 billion.

Unfortunately, a number of Nigerian criminals, increasingly in collusion with Beninese, use Benin as a base to defraud U.S. companies and citizens with “419” scams (e.g. advance fees), so named for the relevant section of Nigerian law. Potential U.S. investors should contact the Economic Section in Cotonou or the Commercial Section in Abidjan before sending any money or products to potential “partners” in Benin or sending “registration” fees to any purported Benin governmental agency.

The Port of Cotonou: Compared to Nigerian ports

Cotonou is today recognized as an access corridor, serving not only Nigeria but Niger Republic and the eastern parts of landlocked Mali and Bukina Faso. As a way of notching up volume of transshipment trade, Cotonou has completed the asphalting of the Savalou-Djougou and Natitingou-Porga highways and other road construction projects.

While the process of clearing a mere 20 foot container in Nigeria could drive a well-meaning importer insane and indeed could take anything from 4 weeks to infinity, clearing process in Cotonou takes between 24 to 48 hours unless there is a complication like false declaration or financial constraints on the part of the importer. The process begins with the presentation of the bill of lading (connaissment in French) by the clearing agent who must have received same from his client, the consignor. This is immediately run through the electronic manifest system for verification. Here, one would check if his consignment has arrived.

With the bill of lading in her hand, the clearing agent already goes to the shipping company. Upon getting to this office, the bill of lading is handed over in addition to the agent’s ID card, as well as the international passport of the importer which must correspond with the name on the bill of lading. Receipts of the goods being shipped is also tendered.

Once satisfied with their verification, the shipping company issues a paper called Exchange Bon-A-Delivery. Photocopies of this are made and sent to the port authority and SOBEMAP. The pre-shipment agent may also use BIVAC (Bureau Inspection Veritace Academie Consiquency). Based on their certificate, the importer makes what is called a declaration at the customs desk.

Typing the declaration is the most sensitive stage of clearing. HThe importer is expected to declare not only the numbers of cars in a container but also the chassis number of each of the cars, the model and such other details. Each car must come with its log book.

At Cotonou Port, there are two types of bill of lading. One indicates shipment (consumassion) by indigenous importers while the other (transit) identifies imports by Nigerians or other nationals. S10 signifies Nigeria-bound goods; S12 is for Burkina Faso while S14 is for Niger Republic which in fact attracts the lowest tarrif. C is for goods meant for Cotonou while C6, also for Cotonou, is for rebate, especially goods imported by government departments.

As part of its shrewd drive for patronage, the Beninois offer rebate to the Nigerian importer. This means that apart from paying what is generally viewed as a healthy tariff system, the Nigerian importer is further pampered with about 15 percent tariff lesser than what is paid by his Beninois counterpart. However, to protect the Beninois market, the Nigerian importer must not sell his goods within the Benin territory; indeed, he has only three days to get his cargoes across the border.

Once the customs duties have been paid, the importer or his clearing agent is expected to wait for the Long Room number. The wait may take anything from two to three hours. When the number is issued, along with many others, the importer proceeds to a hall called Magazine 7. He is required to quote the Long Room number on every document thereafter.

The Cotonou Long Room is anything but long. Unlike the notorious Long Rooms of the Apapa and Tin Can Island Port that have given many importers the heart attack, that of the Cotonou port is not dreaded by anybody. Described as a nightmare by those unfortunate to have passed through any of them, the Nigeiran Long Room parades over 13 desks, each representing extortion, ‘settlement’, arbitrary levies and unnecessary bottlenecks. Sadly, the Long Room job which is something two or three people could handle between two and three hours is manipulated to last between 10 and 25 days on the average.

The surprise of this reporter is better imagined when it was discovered that no importer is expected to stay more than 24 hours in the Cotonou Long Room. In fact, there is a penalty for delay. To speed up the clearing process, any importer found foot-dragging in the Long Room after 24 hours is fined CFA 50,000 before his document can advance to the next stage.

At Magasine 7, you have combined inspectors, including the Customs, the Ports Authority and SOBEMAP. Activities here are essentially to compare notes and to fish out any discrepancy. Satisfied with the final checks, photocopies of the documents are forwarded to the storage area so that your container can be identified and positioned for physical examination. The importer is expected to pay some fee depending on the weight of the container. Unlike in Nigeria, there is no hide-n-seek with forklift drivers, no offers of bribe or too many cargoes chasing just one forklift or crane.

Two representatives of the shipping company accompany the Customs, ports officials and SOBEMAP to open the containers for examination. Before the customs break open your container, the importer or his clearing agent must have hired and kept on standby trucks to evacuate his goods. For cars, the importer must have got his drivers ready. Since cars inside containers have their tyres removed before shipment, the tyres are fixed back. For other goods, the container is sealed again after inspection. The importer returns to Magazine 7. There he is given a release note and an escort for the final journey of the cargoes to the border. Finally, the customs issues an exit visa. As the goods travel towards the border, it is a serious offence to open a sealed container and attempt to sell its contents in Benin market.

Surprisingly, even when they would neither be used nor sold in Benin, the authorities there insist that transit vehicles to Nigeria must obtain insurance and registration number before they can be driven across the border. The Beninois police is strict in enforcing this. Saturday Sun observed that IP on the number plate is for Benin vehicles while VT signifies vehicles bound for Nigeria or Niger Republic. For single-commodity imports like cars, it is possible to get the container out in one day if the process began early enough in the day. Observations showed that part of the smooth and accelerated process of the Cotonou port is the custom’s examination of cargoes at the stacks before they are moved to their designated bays. In sharp contrast to Nigerian Ports, once described by a World Bank Group as “perhaps the most uncertain business environment in the world, the Cotonou Port is designed to encourage growth. For sure, there are no conspiracy and bottlenecks to entangle imports in demurrage.

Though Nigeria slapped a ban on the overland import of a wide variety of goods from Benin, the list of items imported and trucked to the Nigerian border, just 50 kilometer to the east, has continued to increase. It is said that Cotonou handles some 350,000 second-hand vehicles imported from Europe into Nigeria every year. It was further learnt that re-export trade is different from transit trade. The latter makes sense and is for landlocked countries like Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali. With re-export, Nigeria, which has eight ports back home, is simply renting the services of the Cotonou Port.

Beleaquered back home by ambiguous government policies and an enduring regime of bribery, corruption, extortion, multiple levies and harassment by a plethora of security agents, more and more Nigerian importers find justification to join the exodus to Cotonou where the Beninois are only to happy to receive them.

It is not only importers that are avoiding Nigerian Ports. High shipping and clearing costs and the general poor infrastructure have resulted in some shipowners preferring to carry Nigeria-bound cargo to the more efficient port of Cotonou from where they are transshipped in leaky vessels to Nigeria. Bureaucratic bottleneck has not only caused expensive delays for ships, a lack of adequate facilities in the ports has forced shipping companies to acquire their own landing and loading gear, thus increasing shipping cost.

Currently, it costs N250, 000 to N300, 000 to clear a vehicle at the Apapa, Lagos seaport, whereas it costs about N120, 000 to get a car out of Cotonou, then N40, 000 to smuggle it into the country. Seven years ago, when the federal government banned the importation of cars older than eight years into the country, not a few people condemned the action. A Customs inspector at the Seme border, said that the federal government had to reverse its five year-old car policy following relentless persuasion by the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Car Dealers Association, CDA, and UBMDA among others.

Cotonou by International Standards

The Autonomous Port of Cotonou –- a key gateway to the Benin market – is a good example of how corruption and static attitudes dampen Benin’s longer-term growth potential. The port serves as a gateway for the sub-region with many goods arriving in Cotonou destined for Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Niger and other countries in West Africa. It is a transshipment point for about 350,000 used cars annually –- 90% of which are re-exported. The GOB owns and manages the port, which is one of its largest revenue earners (along with the cotton sector). Though formerly among the best in the region in terms of the speed at which cargo is unloaded and cleared, improvements at other ports (notably Lome, Togo) have caused Cotonou to lose considerable market share in the region. It is also hampered by corruption and shippers complain of pilferage and inadequate port security, although the Port Director has undertaken improvements in these areas. Even so, key sectors such as customs collections and enforcement are outside his direct authority. Because of persistent difficulties, Cotonou has lost part of the Nigerian transshipment business to Lome. Further more, due to the Ivorian civil war, ninety per cent of vessels transporting cargo for the inland countries that originally stopped at Abidjan prefer the port of Lome to that of Cotonou, according to a World Bank Official. This loss of business means less revenue for the Port to use towards the necessary security upgrades required by the International Port Security Code. Without these upgrades, shippers may not be able to export goods to Europe or the United States without enduring extra security procedures at those ports of call and therefore may no longer find it profitable to include Cotonou among their stops in West Africa.

The GOB has taken measures to improve service at the Port by opening the “guichet unique” to speed up the customs clearing process. This provides “one-stop shopping” for traders and transporters to clear their goods through the port. Port authorities have also made efforts to combat corruption and other crimes through computerization of clearance procedures, establishment of a police force at the port, and taking advantage of training opportunities offered by U.S. customs officials, but the dimensions of the problems continue to dwarf these efforts. The World Bank and African Development Bank have encountered serious resistance within the Benin Government, particularly at the Ministry of Transport and the Customs Administration, to reform projects at the Port of Cotonou. Both financial institutions have recommended privatization of certain port functions, but port officials and unions – and some politicians who benefit from the status quo or fear its control by foreigners – have fiercely resisted privatization. The dock operations sector, however, has been privatized. As a result, apart from the state owned SOBEMAP, COMAN S.A. (Danish) and SMTC of the Bollore Group (French), are now playing active roles to improve port services.

The Benin Government has transferred the used car business from land adjacent to the port to an area east of Cotonou in an effort to relieve traffic congestion. The GOB hopes to construct a new port to the east at Seme to expand capacity further. This new port is a critically important initiative, but will require huge new capital outlays that will likely only be forthcoming from the international development banks if Benin continues to implement economic reforms. Unfortunately, the port unions oppose the opening of a second port, fearing what it will mean for their jobs, and have gone on strike on more than one occasion, resulting in huge backlogs while shutting down various sectors of the economy.

Benin Import Rules

A suppliers pro-forma invoice must accompany the application for an I/L. Most goods are subject to pre-shipment inspection. A Clean Report of Findings attesting satisfactory quality/quantity, inspection and price comparison is required.

Francophone goods and EU goods may be imported freely. Imports from all other countries are subject to an import licence. Imports from countries outside the French Franc Area valued over CFA Francs 500,000 must be registered with an authorised bank and the import certificate or licence, valid for 6 months, is issued by the Directorate of External Commerce.

Commercial Invoices

Show usual full details and all copies should bear the following declaration: “Nous certifions que les marchandises faisant l’objet de cette fourniture ont été fabriquées au pays suivant: [NAME OF COUNTRY] et que la valeur sous mentionnée est juste et conforme a nos écritures.” (Translation: We hereby certify that the goods to which this invoice relates were manufactured in [NAME OF COUNTRY] and that the value stated is correct and in accordance with our books.) To be signed by a director, secretary, partner, etc, and endorsed by an authorised Chamber of Commerce (see Where to Obtain Certificates of Origin under Certificates of Origin in Documents). Facsimile signatures are accepted by Customs. Customs require 2 copies. Other Information The full, completed Job Assignment Form, a copy of the invoice and the packing list should be sent to Bureau Veritas at their request. They will arrange for the inspections to be carried out by their UK office. At least five working days’ notice before the shipment of the goods should be given to Bureau Veritas by the exporter. Other Certificates Certificates of health required for certain foodstuffs livestock and plants.

Thailand’s top new and used RHD LHD Car dealer and exporter to Southern, Eastern, Central, Western and Northern Africa and the world

We are not Thailand’s, Singapore’s, England UK’s and Dubai’s top car exporter to Africa and the world because we are the oldest but because of our unwavering commitment to customer service, honesty, integrity, professionalism, great prices, great selection, great quality and quick delivery. Jim is a family-owned and family-operated dealership and we have been in business since 1911. Email us now at [email protected] to obtain your vehicle of your choice. Take a look at our selection of 4×4 vehicles to take your pick.

Africa
Southern Africa	Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Angola, Mozambique, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles, Mayotte, Réunion,
Eastern Africa	Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, Burundi, Rwanda, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan
Central Africa	The Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo – Zaire, Republic of Congo
Western Africa	Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo
Northern Africa	Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia

We are Thailand’s top car exporter to Asia, Thailand’s top car exporter to Europe, Thailand’s top car exporter to the Americas, Thailand’s top car exporter to Africa and Thailand’s top car exporter to the Pacific. No matter where in the world you are and whether your requirement is Right Hand Drive car or 4×4 or Left Hand Drive car or 4×4, Jim Autos Thailand, its used car division Jim 4×4 Thailand and its Dubai division Jim Autos Dubai are ready to serve all your automotive needs. In our 100 years proud history we have exported to over 100 countries in the world and continue to add new customers while not forgetting old customers and old countries. We have an 80% repeat and referral business rate, a testament to our superior customer service, honesty, great quality, great selection, great pricing and great speed of delivery. Thailand’s top car dealer, Thailand top car exporter and Thailand’s top 4×4 exporter is ready to serve you from either its Thailand or Dubai offices.

Exporting from Asia can be tricky as auto exporters and car exporters are dime a dozen. The stereotype of used car salesman is universal and based on some truth. With the advent of Internet the crooks have come out of the woodworks to separate the innocent from their money, Thailand is no exception. Caveat emptor – buyer beware – maxim has been heeded by businessmen since the time of the Ancients but it is most relevant when all it takes is a DSL modem, a nerdy kit with some HTML skills to put together a website, some Images (Pics) taken at your competitor’s lots and you are in business. We have seen a parade of newbie auto exporters come in, offer great deals for a year or so perpetrating an elaborate Ponzi scheme and then disappear with millions of dollars of their customers very hard earned money. Will you trust a company that has been in business for 1 year or one that has been in business for 100 years and is well respected not only all over Asia but also beyond Asian boundaries. If someone offers you a deal that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Not all new entrants are crooks but there are some who in their quest for the fast buck wants to cut corners at the expense of the customer. When you work with Jim you have the peace of mind to know that we have been voted Thailand’s most trusted dealership and Thailand’s most trusted auto exporter five years in a row and it is for this reason that we have over 80% of the auto exporting market share in Thailand.

Thailand’s top New 2016 2017, nearly new 2011 and used 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 Toyota Vigo and used Toyota Hilux Vigo dealer and exporter

Jim Autos Thailand is Thailand’s largest auto exporter: we are Thailand’s largest Toyota Hilux Vigo exporter and export all types of vehicles from cars to sedans to pickups to SUVs to 4x2s and 4x4s to Trinidad and other parts of the Caribbean. Toyota Hilux Vigo is our largest pickup export in T&T followed by Mitsubishi L200 Triton, Nissan Navara, Chevy Colorado, Ford Ranger, Isuzu DMax, Mazda BT50 among others. Our top SUV export to Trinidad is Toyota Fortuner followed by Isuzu MU-7. We ship to over 100 countries in the world. Email us now at [email protected] for your Vigo of choice. If you are looking for Toyota Landcruiser, Toyota Prado, Toyota Hilux Surf, Mitsubishi Pajero and other pickups and SUVs from our Dubai office in Right Hand Drive or Left Hand Drive please email our Dubai office at [email protected] now..

Pickups are among world’s popular 4×4 vehicles and Jim Autos Thailand is Thailand’s largest and oldest pickup and SUV exporter.

Toyota Hilux Vigo remains our best selling and top selling 4×4 pickup. If you are looking for Toyota Hilux Vigo 4×2 or 4×4 or single cab Toyota Hilux Vigo, extra cab Toyota Hilux Vigoand double cab Toyota Hilux Vigo, Jim Autos Thailand is the place.

Deal only with Trustworthy companies

Jim Autos Thailand is a fully owned division of the Jim Group of Companies. We are Thailand’s oldest and largest auto exporter and we are only one of the two auto exporting companies with any automotive experience. We have been in the business for the past 100 years with a 80% repeat and referral business thanks to our expertise, honesty, high quality, low price and quick delivery among others. Please check what some of customers have to say about us in our Testimonials page and top twenty reasons our customers have cited for doing business with us.

If you are looking for a diesel pickup or sports utility vehicle then Jim Autos Thailand is the exporter of choice of thousands of dealers in Asia, Africa, Europe, Pacific and the Americas. We provide top quality 4WD and 2WD pickups and 4×4 and 4×2 pickups and SUVs direct from the manufacturer Toyota, Mitsubishi, Nissan.

We were the first to export Toyota Hilux Tiger out of Thailand as we were Thailand’s first auto exporter. We were also Thailand first auto exporter to export Toyota Hilux Vigo out of Thailand. Our Toyota Vigo prices can not be beaten! No one can beat our Toyota Hilux Tiger pricing, or our Mitsubishi L200 Triton, or Mitsubishi L200 Strada, Nissan Navara pricing. Our prices for all pickups and SUVs are the cheapest. We have Toyota Vigo 4WD double-cabs in stock as well as all other top selling pickups and SUVs and available for immediate shipping anywhere in the world.

Thailand top car exporter to Benin