The science here is simpler than it sounds, but Nigeria asks for all four of the heavy items: a microchip, a health certificate, an import permit and a quarantine period on arrival. Pixel makes friends with every customs officer, and on this route she would meet several. None of it is improvised at the airport — the permit and the endorsement both have to exist before you fly.

Bringing a pet to Nigeria requires three documents in the right order: a microchip, a rabies vaccine within the destination's wait window, and a government-endorsed health certificate. The table below lays out exactly what's required, what's not, and where each rule comes from.

How Nigeria handles your pet

Each fact comes straight from the operator’s published policy. Tap the to read the exact wording; the opens the source page.

Health & documents

Microchip · Required Yesverified 2026-10-02
Quarantine · Required Yesverified 2026-10-02
Import permit · Required Yesverified 2026-10-02
Health certificate · Required Yesverified 2026-10-02
Health certificate · Original required Yesverified 2026-10-02
Health certificate · Government endorsed Yesverified 2026-10-02
Rabies vaccination · Required Yesverified 2026-10-02

Other rules

Pets accepted Acceptedverified 2026-10-02

Timing chain

Day -90 microchip implant · Day 0 arrive at customs

The health certificate requires government endorsement, and the signature rules differ by signer: an electronic signature is accepted from an accredited veterinarian, while the endorsement itself requires an original ink signature. A scanned or printed endorsement is refused at inspection. Collect the endorsed original, carry it with the animal, and keep a copy separately.
Nigeria is a four-part sequence: microchip, endorsed health certificate, import permit, then quarantine on arrival. The order matters more than any single item, and the endorsement is the one that cannot be fixed in transit. Build your plan on Pawgo and you will get those steps dated against your own departure rather than a general checklist.
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Glossary

ISO chip
ISO 11784/11785 — the universal microchip standard.
FAVN
Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization — a rabies serology test required by rabies-free destinations.
Brachycephalic
Snub-nosed breeds (French Bulldogs, Pugs, Persians, Himalayans) with restricted airline acceptance due to heat-stress risk.
AVIH
Animal Vehicle In Hold — IATA's term for cargo pet shipment, with fees that vary by carrier and route.