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Comprehensive Guide

Niger BESC Certificate — The Complete Guide

Last updated: August 4, 2026

The BESC (Bordereau Électronique de Suivi des Cargaisons) is required for sea shipments to Niger, discharging at Niamey (Dry Port via Cotonou). This guide covers the documents you need, how the filing runs, and the country-specific rules that decide whether the certificate validates on the first attempt.

Start your certificateSee the country rules

Overview

The BESC — Bordereau Électronique de Suivi des Cargaisons — is the electronic cargo tracking note required for sea shipments to Niger, which discharge at Niamey (Dry Port via Cotonou). It ties the shipper, consignee, cargo and freight values on your Bill of Lading to a single reference that customs can reconcile before the cargo is worked. Filing deadline: Validated before the vessel arrives; needs the final, dated B/L. Cargo that only passes through on its way to a landlocked neighbour is treated as in-transit and still needs a certificate, so the routing has to be documented from the start.

Discharge ports

Niamey (Dry Port via Cotonou)

Required documents

Bill of Lading
Draft or final; weights, seals and discharge port must match the cargo.
Commercial Invoice
Goods and declared values as shipped.
Freight Invoice
Required when freight is not shown on the commercial invoice.
Packing List

Official BESC Document Sample

Verify the layout, stamps, and BESC customs format of a validated Niger loading certificate:

Official Niger BESC sample document
Sample Draft

Application process

  1. 1
    Submit
    Send your Bill of Lading and Commercial Invoice, with the Freight Invoice if freight is not shown on the commercial invoice.
  2. 2
    Draft & invoice
    We prepare a draft certificate and a fixed-price invoice within 1 hour on average.
  3. 3
    Approve
    You review the draft and confirm every detail before anything is filed.
  4. 4
    Payment
    The fixed-price invoice is settled so the file can go forward for validation.
  5. 5
    Validate
    The certificate is validated and the final BESC number is confirmed.

Timeline

StepDuration
Submit documentsYour action
Draft & invoice1 hour on average
Approve draftYour action
PaymentYour action

Special rules & HS codes

Rule 1

The BESC number is issued at validation, so it cannot be supplied in advance.

Rule 2

Final, dated MBL is required prior to validation.

Rule 3

Shipper, consignee and notify parties address must match between all documents.

Rule 4

Weight on export declaration must match the BL.

Rule 5

Statistical value on export declaration must match the commercial invoice.

Rule 6

Shipper owned containers must have the tare weight mentioned on the BL.

Rule 7

This number can be transmitted to the shipping line in order to obtain the required BL number. For validation of the BESC we need the final Bill of Lading.

Rule 8

A pre-validated certificate has to be completed within its validity window or it is cancelled.

Official sources

Official Niger ECTN sources

The Niger BESC is issued by Niger’s shippers’ council, CNUT (Conseil Nigérien des Utilisateurs de Transports Publics); the certificate names CNUT as the issuing body (see the sample on this page). CNUT was founded on 27 December 1984; it is Niger’s counterpart of the “Conseil des Chargeurs” in other West and Central African countries. It has port representations in Niger’s transit ports: Cotonou, Lomé, Tema, Lagos and Abidjan.

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Top 3 causes of Niger BESC rejection

  • BESC number is not indicated on the Bill of Lading.
  • Freight value not declared separately on the commercial invoice.
  • Transit document (T1) from port of discharge (e.g. Cotonou) is missing.

Specific questions: Niger

What is the Niger ECTN?

The Niger ECTN is the mandatory electronic cargo tracking note for sea cargo to Niger; in Niger it is issued as the BESC (Bordereau Électronique de Suivi des Cargaisons). Niger is landlocked, so cargo is usually discharged at Lagos, Cotonou or Lomé and carried on by road.

Is a Niger BESC needed for cargo transiting Lagos, Cotonou or Lomé?

Yes. Cargo discharged at Lagos (Apapa, Lekki), Cotonou or Lomé and carried on to Niger needs the Niger BESC (ECTN). The transit country’s own certificate rule may apply as well; see our Benin and Togo pages.

Is the Niger ECTN the same as the Nigeria CTN?

No. Niger (capital Niamey) and Nigeria (capital Abuja) are different countries. Cargo for Niger needs the Niger BESC; cargo for Nigeria needs the Nigeria CTN.

Can the Niger BESC number be obtained in advance?

No. The Niger BESC number is issued at validation, so it cannot be supplied in advance. Validation needs the final, dated Bill of Lading.

Frequently asked questions

The BESC — Bordereau Électronique de Suivi des Cargaisons — is the electronic cargo tracking note required for sea shipments to Niger, discharging at Niamey (Dry Port via Cotonou).

Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice and Freight Invoice.

Validated before the vessel arrives; needs the final, dated B/L.

A draft certificate and a fixed-price invoice come back within 1 hour on average of receiving your documents.

Yes. Cargo moving onward to a landlocked neighbour still needs a certificate, and the transit routing must be documented.

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