Short answer: agree the specification and an approved sample first, then the Incoterm (FOB, CIF or DAP) and payment terms. Before shipment, have the goods inspected and obtain your country’s certificate of conformity. Lithium batteries ship as dangerous goods, so the supplier must provide the UN38.3 test summary and safety data sheet. Plan the certificate early: it is the most common cause of goods held at the port.
Key numbers
- Lithium batteries inside equipment ship as UN 3481 (or UN 3091 for lithium metal), Class 9, and need a UN38.3 test summary.
- Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia run pre-export verification of conformity programmes; Nigeria uses SONCAP.
- Tanzania fines regulated goods without a certificate 15 % of CIF value (since May 2025).
1. The ten steps
| Step | What to do | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Specification | Send road data or the tender specification | Ask for real LED W, battery Wh, panel W and dimming profile |
| 2. Quotation | Compare offers on the same basis | Price per real Wh and lumen, not per light |
| 3. Sample | Approve a sample of the exact model | Keep the approved sample to compare with delivery |
| 4. Contract | Incoterm, payment, specification, inspection, warranty | Attach the datasheet and sample photos to the contract |
| 5. Certificate planning | Start the conformity certificate with the agency | Test reports must match the model and the producer |
| 6. Production | Production to the approved sample | Ask for photos or video at key stages |
| 7. Inspection | Third-party inspection before shipment | Battery capacity test, lumen check, labels, packing |
| 8. Shipping | Dangerous goods declaration for the batteries | UN38.3 summary and safety data sheet with the shipment |
| 9. Documents | Invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, certificate of conformity | Names and values must match across documents |
| 10. Clearance | Your broker clears with the documents | Confirm the HS code and duty treatment before shipping |
2. Incoterms: who pays and carries the risk
| Term | Supplier’s responsibility | Buyer’s responsibility | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| FOB (port in China) | Goods loaded on the vessel, export clearance | Sea freight, insurance, import | Buyers with their own forwarder |
| CIF (your port) | Also sea freight and minimum insurance to your port | Unloading, import clearance, inland transport | Buyers who want one price to port |
| DAP (your site or warehouse) | Delivery to the named place, not import clearance | Import clearance, duties and taxes | Buyers who want delivery to site |
Under CIF the insurance is only the minimum cover required by Incoterms 2020; for project goods, ask for wider cover or insure yourself.
3. Lithium batteries: the shipping rules
LiFePO4 batteries are lithium-ion batteries under the UN Model Regulations. In an all-in-one light the battery is contained in equipment (UN 3481); a separate battery pack ships as UN 3480. Either way the cells must have passed UN38.3 testing, the shipper needs the test summary and a safety data sheet, and the packages carry Class 9 marks. Shipping lines refuse undeclared batteries, and misdeclared shipments can be held or fined.
4. Certificates of conformity by country
| Country | Programme | Our country page |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya | KEBS PVoC certificate of conformity | Kenya |
| Uganda | UNBS PVoC certificate of conformity | Uganda |
| Tanzania | TBS pre-shipment verification of conformity | Tanzania |
| Nigeria | SONCAP Product Certificate and shipment certificate | Nigeria |
| Ethiopia | ECAE PVoC for stand-alone solar products up to 350 W | Ethiopia |
The certificate is issued by an appointed agency (such as SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek or TÜV Rheinland) on test reports and an inspection. Start it when the order is confirmed, not when the goods are packed.
5. Inspection: what to check
- Sampling to ISO 2859-1 at an agreed acceptance level.
- Battery: weigh a pack and run a discharge test on a sample to confirm Wh.
- Panel: label, size and an electrical check.
- Light: power draw, lumens or illuminance check against the datasheet, dimming profile.
- Labels, manuals, packing and markings as agreed, including your OEM marking.
6. Payment
Common structures are a deposit with the balance against inspection or shipping documents, or a letter of credit under UCP 600 for larger orders. Tie the balance to a passed inspection and to documents that match the contract, and make sure the bank details come from the supplier’s official channel, confirmed by phone or video, never from a forwarded email alone.
FAQ
Can I import solar street lights from China by air?
Yes, but lithium batteries are restricted on aircraft and must be declared and packed under air dangerous goods rules. Sea freight is normal for project quantities.
Who arranges the certificate of conformity?
Usually the exporter, through the appointed agency, with documents from the manufacturer. Agree this in the contract.
Which Incoterm should I choose?
FOB if you have a good forwarder; CIF if you want one price to your port; DAP if you want delivery to site and will handle import clearance.
What documents do I need for customs?
Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, the certificate of conformity where required, and the battery documents.
How we help
We quote FOB, CIF or DAP, provide samples, accept third-party inspection and prepare the battery documents and the certificate of conformity with the agency for your country. See our solar street lights and our supplier checklist.
Sources: ICC Incoterms 2020; UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Model Regulations and Manual of Tests and Criteria (UN38.3); ISO 2859-1 sampling; ICC UCP 600; KEBS, UNBS, TBS, SON and ECAE conformity programmes as described by appointed agencies (SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, TÜV Rheinland). The step list is our own guidance. Related: warranty, spec-sheet checks.