1. Purpose
This Seller Compliance Policy establishes the requirements for businesses and individuals selling products through the HerbsAfrika marketplace.
HerbsAfrika is a global e-commerce marketplace. All HerbsAfrika sellers are based in Nigeria, while customers may be located in Nigeria or in other countries around the world.
Because products may be collected in Nigeria and exported internationally, sellers must comply with applicable Nigerian laws and regulations as well as applicable requirements relating to the products they sell and the countries to which those products may be shipped.
This policy forms part of the HerbsAfrika Seller Terms and Conditions.
2. Seller eligibility
To sell on HerbsAfrika, a seller must:
- Be located and operating in Nigeria
- Provide accurate identity and business information
- Provide any business registration information required by HerbsAfrika
- Provide valid contact and payment information
- Comply with applicable Nigerian laws and regulations
- Comply with HerbsAfrika’s product and marketplace requirements
- Provide accurate information about every product listed
- Maintain all licences, registrations, permits and certificates required for the products being sold
- Cooperate with HerbsAfrika’s verification and compliance processes
HerbsAfrika may refuse or suspend a seller application where the seller cannot demonstrate sufficient compliance.
3. Business and identity verification
Sellers may be required to provide:
- Full legal name
- Business or trading name
- Nigerian business registration information
- CAC registration information where applicable
- Business address
- Telephone number
- Email address
- Government-issued identification where required
- Tax or other regulatory information where applicable
- Bank or payment information
- Regulatory certificates or licences
- Product registration information
HerbsAfrika may verify information directly or through third-party verification providers.
Providing false, misleading, altered or fraudulent documentation is prohibited.
4. Nigerian export requirements
Because HerbsAfrika facilitates the international sale and shipment of products originating from Nigeria, sellers must comply with applicable Nigerian export requirements.
Where the applicable export structure requires an exporter to be registered with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), the required exporter registration or certificate must be maintained.
NEPC states that businesses intending to export from Nigeria are required to register as exporters and obtain an Exporter’s Certificate.
HerbsAfrika may require sellers to provide evidence of relevant export eligibility or documentation before products are accepted for international shipment.
Where HerbsAfrika itself acts as the exporter or exporter of record for a particular shipment, the seller must provide all information and documentation reasonably required by HerbsAfrika and its logistics partners.
Seller registration with HerbsAfrika does not, by itself, constitute authorisation to export goods from Nigeria.
5. Product classification and regulatory approval
Sellers are responsible for correctly identifying the nature and regulatory classification of their products.
Depending on the product, additional licences, registrations, approvals, inspections or certificates may be required.
Examples may include:
- Food products
- Herbal medicines
- Herbal preparations
- Dietary supplements
- Nutraceuticals
- Cosmetics
- Agricultural products
- Plants and plant products
- Seeds
- Animal products
- Products subject to special health or safety requirements
Sellers must tell HerbsAfrika if a product is subject to special regulatory requirements.
6. NAFDAC requirements
NAFDAC requirements are product-specific.
NAFDAC’s regulatory framework includes categories such as food, herbal products, human medicines, cosmetics and nutraceuticals/supplements.
Where Nigerian law requires a product to be registered, approved or otherwise regulated by NAFDAC, the seller must obtain and maintain the required approval before listing or selling the product through HerbsAfrika.
For example, NAFDAC’s regulations provide specific requirements for herbal medicines and related products, including registration requirements.
Where applicable, HerbsAfrika may require:
- NAFDAC registration number
- Certificate of registration
- Product approval documentation
- Product formulation or ingredient information
- Labelling information
- Manufacturing information
- Other regulatory documentation
NAFDAC registration is not automatically required for every HerbsAfrika seller or every product. It is required where the product falls within a category for which NAFDAC registration or approval is legally required.
Sellers must not falsely state that a product is NAFDAC-approved or registered.
7. Plants, herbs and agricultural products
Products containing plants, plant material or other regulated agricultural products may be subject to Nigerian quarantine and phytosanitary requirements.
The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) is responsible for regulating and controlling applicable plant and plant-product exports and issues phytosanitary certification where required.
Where required, sellers must provide or facilitate:
- Phytosanitary certificates
- Inspection documentation
- Treatment or fumigation documentation
- Plant or agricultural permits
- Product identification information
- Origin information
- Any other documentation required for the shipment
A product being described as a “natural herb” does not automatically exempt it from plant-health or quarantine requirements.
8. Destination-country requirements
Sellers must understand that legal export from Nigeria does not automatically mean that a product is legal to import or sell in another country.
Different countries may impose requirements relating to:
- Import permits
- Product registration
- Ingredients
- Labelling
- Packaging
- Health claims
- Plant quarantine
- Food safety
- Medicines
- Supplements
- Cosmetics
- Maximum permitted quantities
- Prohibited ingredients
- Customs declarations
- Certificates of origin
- Phytosanitary certificates
- Other regulatory requirements
HerbsAfrika may restrict shipments to particular countries or regions where a product cannot reasonably be shipped in compliance with applicable requirements.
9. Product information and labelling
Sellers must provide complete and accurate product information.
Depending on the product, this may include:
- Product name
- Ingredients
- Botanical name where relevant
- Net quantity
- Country of origin
- Manufacturer or producer
- Batch or lot number
- Expiry or best-before date where applicable
- Usage instructions
- Storage instructions
- Warnings and precautions
- Regulatory registration numbers where applicable
Product labels must not be misleading.
10. Health and medical claims
Sellers must not make false, misleading, exaggerated or unsupported claims about their products.
Sellers must not claim that an ordinary food, herb, supplement or other product:
- Cures a disease
- Prevents a disease
- Treats a medical condition
- Replaces prescribed medical treatment
- Produces guaranteed medical results
- Has regulatory approval when it does not
Where a product is lawfully marketed as a medicine, herbal medicine, supplement or other regulated product, the seller must comply with applicable claims and advertising requirements.
11. Prohibited products
Unless expressly approved by HerbsAfrika and legally permitted, sellers must not list products that:
- Are illegal to sell or export from Nigeria
- Are prohibited from importation in the relevant destination
- Are counterfeit or fraudulent
- Are stolen goods
- Contain prohibited or undeclared substances
- Are falsely labelled
- Require regulatory approval that the seller does not possess
- Present an unacceptable health or safety risk
- Cannot legally be shipped through the available logistics network
- Violate intellectual-property rights
- Are otherwise prohibited by HerbsAfrika
HerbsAfrika may maintain additional prohibited-product lists.
12. Product authenticity and quality
Sellers must only list products that they are legally entitled to sell.
Products must:
- Match their descriptions
- Be authentic
- Be appropriately packaged
- Be safe for their intended use
- Not be materially contaminated or adulterated
- Not be expired where expiry makes the product unsuitable for sale
- Be stored appropriately before collection
HerbsAfrika may request samples, photographs, certificates, laboratory reports or other evidence of product quality.
13. Packaging and shipping preparation
Sellers must prepare products for collection in accordance with HerbsAfrika and logistics requirements.
Products must be:
- Properly packaged
- Secure against leakage, contamination or damage
- Correctly labelled
- Accurately declared
- Suitable for international transportation
- Accompanied by required documentation
Sellers must not conceal the true nature, quantity or value of a product in order to avoid customs requirements or restrictions.
14. Customs and export documentation
Sellers must provide accurate information required for export and international shipment.
This may include:
- Commercial invoices
- Packing information
- Product descriptions
- Product values
- Country of origin
- Quantity and weight
- Regulatory certificates
- Export documentation
- Customs information
NEPC identifies export documentation such as commercial invoices, packing lists and applicable quality-assurance documents as part of formal export procedures.
False customs declarations are prohibited.
15. Seller responsibility for destination restrictions
Sellers acknowledge that HerbsAfrika may sell products to customers in multiple countries.
A product may therefore be:
- Legal in Nigeria but restricted elsewhere
- Legal in one destination but prohibited in another
- Subject to additional documentation in certain countries
- Subject to quantity restrictions
- Subject to import duties or taxes
HerbsAfrika may limit destination countries for particular products.
16. Seller orders and fulfilment
Once an order is accepted, the seller must:
- Have the product available
- Provide the correct product
- Ensure it matches the listing
- Package it appropriately
- Make it available for collection within the required timeframe
- Provide required documentation
- Notify HerbsAfrika of any issue affecting fulfilment
Repeated failure to fulfil orders may result in suspension or removal from the marketplace.
17. Recalls and product safety
Sellers must immediately notify HerbsAfrika if:
- A product is recalled
- A regulator issues a warning concerning the product
- The product is found to be unsafe
- The product is found to be counterfeit
- A required licence or registration expires or is withdrawn
- A material regulatory issue arises
- A serious customer safety complaint is received
HerbsAfrika may suspend sales, remove listings and notify affected customers where necessary.
18. Inspections and verification
HerbsAfrika may conduct or arrange:
- Seller verification
- Product verification
- Documentation checks
- Packaging checks
- Compliance reviews
- Quality checks
- Investigations into complaints
Where reasonably necessary, HerbsAfrika may request additional information or evidence before permitting a product to remain listed.
19. Professional or industry associations
Membership of a professional or industry association may be considered as part of seller verification where relevant.
However, membership or registration with a professional association does not replace any mandatory Nigerian government registration, licence, approval or certification.
20. Seller records
Sellers must maintain appropriate records relating to products sold through HerbsAfrika, including where applicable:
- Supplier information
- Manufacturing information
- Product batches
- Certificates
- Registrations
- Product testing
- Invoices
- Export documentation
- Customer complaints
- Recall information
HerbsAfrika may request relevant records where reasonably necessary for compliance, safety or dispute resolution.
21. Seller indemnity
To the extent permitted by applicable law, sellers are responsible for losses, claims, penalties, costs or liabilities arising from:
- False product information
- Unlawful products
- Regulatory non-compliance
- Counterfeit products
- Unsafe products
- False or misleading claims
- Failure to obtain required licences or registrations
- Incorrect customs information
- Seller misconduct or negligence
This does not exclude any liability that cannot legally be excluded.
22. Suspension and removal
HerbsAfrika may:
- Reject a seller application
- Reject a product listing
- Temporarily suspend a product
- Remove a product
- Restrict a destination country
- Suspend seller selling privileges
- Withhold or delay payment where reasonably necessary to investigate a transaction
- Terminate a seller account
These actions may be taken where HerbsAfrika reasonably believes that a seller or product presents a legal, regulatory, safety, fraud or marketplace risk.
23. Seller compliance declaration
By selling on HerbsAfrika, the seller confirms that:
I confirm that the information I provide to HerbsAfrika is accurate and complete. I understand that I am responsible for ensuring that the products I sell comply with applicable Nigerian laws, export requirements, product-specific regulatory requirements and applicable destination-country requirements. I will maintain all required registrations, licences, permits and certificates and will immediately notify HerbsAfrika of any material change affecting the legality, safety or regulatory status of my products.
24. Policy changes
HerbsAfrika may update this Seller Compliance Policy from time to time to reflect changes in:
- Nigerian law
- Export requirements
- Destination-country requirements
- Marketplace operations
- Product categories
- Logistics requirements
- Safety standards
Continued use of the marketplace after an updated policy becomes effective constitutes acceptance of the updated policy, subject to applicable law.