Valid Export Licence or Registration with Export Authority

No licence, no crossing!

When you are exporting within ECOWAS or SADC, customs officials do not care how innovative or organic your product is. They want to see documents. One of the most crucial document is your export licence or registration with the appropriate export or trade authority.

a. Why You Need an Export Licence

Your export licence:

• Gives your business official permission to sell goods or services across borders

• Ensures you are tracked and supported by trade and customs authorities

• Helps you access duty exemptions, tax waivers, or preferential trade agreements within your regional bloc

Example: A maize exporter in South Africa wanted to trade with Zimbabwe under SADC preferential rates. But because they had not registered with South African Revenue Services (SARS) they had to pay higher export duties, losing competitiveness to a better-prepared rival.

b. How to Get One

The process differs slightly from country to country, but the basic steps usually include:

• Registering with the national export or trade promotion council

• Submitting proof of business registration, tax compliance and product details

• Paying a registration or licence fee

• Attending training (sometimes required) on packaging, documentation, and standards

Country Snapshot:

• Ghana – Register with the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA)

• Kenya – Register with the Export Promotion Council

• South Africa – Get an export code from South African Revenue Services (SARS)

• Rwanda – Through Rwanda Development Board (RDB)

• Uganda – Uganda Export Promotion Board (UEPB)

c. Regional Trade Compliance

Do not forget regional blocs like ECOWAS, EAC and COMESA often require you to register under their trade facilitation schemes to enjoy reduced tariffs and faster customs processing.

d. Stay Updated

Export regulations can change quickly. Always stay in touch with:

• Your national export authority

• Regional trade offices

• Your country’s ministry of trade or commerce

Subscribe to updates, attend regional SME webinars, and consider joining export clusters or cooperatives that share this kind of information.