Which tariff line does a Lebanon importer declare for bulk shea butter?

Start from HS heading 1515.90. Lebanon extends that heading to the national line recorded on this page (National heading 1515.90). The importer, not the exporter's six-digit invoice code, confirms the full statistical number on the Lebanon tariff for the entry date.

Does MOH make a Nigerian factory register before selling shea butter into Lebanon?

MOH rules apply to the Lebanon responsible person or importer for finished cosmetics or food, as this guide states. A factory that only supplies bulk drums should not assume it must open a local portal account. Finished-product notification stays with the buyer in Lebanon.

Which documents travel with a Lagos container bound for Beirut?

EMI Agro issues the commercial invoice, packing list and a Certificate of Analysis per batch. The carrier issues the bill of lading. Nigerian export files (certificate of origin and Form NXP) travel with the shipment. Lebanon import filings — the customs declaration and any MOH notice — are the buyer's.

How long does a typical West Africa service take from Lagos to Beirut?

Ocean time to Beirut is shown on this page as a typical West Africa container range, not a booked schedule. Confirm the live ETD/ETA on the carrier tool when you book. Inland time from Beirut to a warehouse in Lebanon is extra.

Is shea butter duty-free in Lebanon?

Duty follows the vegetable-fat / oils-and-fats bracket on heading 1515.90 in Lebanon, plus VAT or GST where charged. Some markets (for example a Free general rate on a nut-oil line) publish a zero Column 1 rate; others do not. Read the tariff note on this page and confirm on the entry date. EMI Agro does not compute landed duty.

What language belongs on a Lebanon shea butter label?

Arabic and/or English on supporting documents. Bulk industrial drums follow the language agreed on the contract. Finished consumer packs follow MOH labelling rules in Lebanon.

Import guide

How to Import Shea Butter into Lebanon

Tariff line, regulator, documents, transit from Lagos and clearance for Lebanon — every fact sourced and dated.

Shea butter enters Lebanon under HS heading 1515.90 — National heading 1515.90 in the national tariff — and is overseen by MOH regulates finished cosmetics for cosmetic use. To import it, confirm the tariff line and duty, check registration requirements with MOH, assemble the documents below, ship from Lagos to Beirut (16–26 days).

Key facts for importing shea butter into Lebanon (sources and dates in References)

Customs authority: Lebanon declares shea butter under heading 1515.90 on the national tariff. This is not a GCC 12-digit line.
Cosmetics authority: MOH regulates finished cosmetics. Bulk shea is usually a raw material, not a finished-product file.
National tariff line: National heading 1515.90
Ports of discharge: Beirut
Transit from Lagos: 16–26 days
Certification priority: Halal, ISO 22716 / GMP, HACCP
Halal relevance: strong
Labelling language: Arabic and/or English on supporting documents
Specific to Lebanon: MOH is the named Lebanon authority on this page.
Specific to Lebanon (2): Lagos boxes for Lebanon are planned for Beirut (LBBEY).
Specific to Lebanon (3): Beirut is the named inland or port hub for Lebanon.

Nigerian shea butter for Lebanon

Lebanon does not produce shea nuts. Gulf and Levant buyers import the fat as they do other tropical vegetable butters. Beirut is both the port and the buying city for Lebanese cosmetics plants. EMI Agro works with 5,000+ women collectors in Kwara, Niger, Kaduna, Kogi. Beirut is the usual discharge.

Ask for a batch COA on a NIS 571:2013 basis: free fatty acid, peroxide value, moisture, colour and melting point. Reject lots that smell sharply rancid or pour like liquid oil at room temperature. MOH filings sit with the Lebanon importer — they do not replace a COA.

Trial lots start at 5 tonnes; standard orders start at 20 tonnes. Send the request even if you need less — EMI Agro reviews every Lebanon enquiry against current production of 40 tonnes per week of finished shea butter and can schedule rolling shipments. Lead time is Ibadan production plus ocean time to Beirut. Quotes are EXW, FOB or CIF; each term prices different services beyond the butter.

What are you buying shea butter for in Lebanon?

Two questions. We show the grade, the documents that usually apply and the next step — we do not invent a price.

Use

Quantity

Step 1 — Classify & tariff

Shea butter is classified under HS heading 1515.90 worldwide; Lebanon extends it to the national line below.

Tariff classification for shea butter in Lebanon (sources and dates in References)
Item	Value	Source
HS heading	1515.90 — global	Harmonized System
National tariff line	National heading 1515.90 — other fixed vegetable fats and oils. Confirm the full statistical line on the national tariff.	moph.gov.lb
Duty and tax note	Vegetable fats under 1515.90 typically follow the Lebanon MFN oils-and-fats rate plus VAT.	moph.gov.lb
Preference scheme and proof of origin	Confirm on the national tariff for the entry date. This is not a shea-only surcharge.	moph.gov.lb

Vegetable fats under 1515.90 typically follow the Lebanon MFN oils-and-fats rate plus VAT. Confirm on the national tariff for the entry date. This is not a shea-only surcharge.

Why the first six digits are the same everywhere is explained in the exporting and importing shea butter guide.

2
Step 2 — Regulatory registration
In Lebanon, cosmetic-grade shea butter falls under MOH.
Finished cosmetics placed on the Lebanon market follow MOH. The Nigerian plant does not hold that local file.
Finished consumer packs follow the official language. Bulk drums follow the contract language.
Buyers in Lebanon most often ask for Halal, ISO 22716 / GMP and HACCP; status is on our certifications page. See Halal, ISO 22716 / GMP, HACCP and our certifications page.
Note
Halal requirements in Lebanon
Halal is a strong buyer expectation for edible fats in this market. It is not treated here as a mandatory customs document for every cosmetic-grade drum.

Step 3 — Required documents

The documents below are those MOH lists for a shea butter consignment; EMI Agro issues the ones marked as ours.

Documents for importing shea butter into Lebanon (sources and dates in References)
Document	Issued by	When
Commercial invoice	EMI Agro	At booking
Packing list	EMI Agro	At stuffing
Bill of lading	Carrier	On vessel departure
Certificate of Analysis (per batch)	EMI Agro	With shipping documents
Certificate of origin	Nigerian agency	Before shipment
Form NXP	Nigerian agency	Before shipment
Import or sanitary licence (as published)	Buyer / importer	Before release or first sale

Nigerian export-side documents are explained in how to import shea butter from Nigeria; the COA format is on the certificate of analysis page.

4
Step 4 — Shipping & Incoterms
EMI Agro loads at Apapa (Lagos) and Tin Can Island (Lagos) for Lebanon discharge at the ports below.
Typical sea transit from Lagos to Lebanon (port-to-port days; confirm on the booking)
Port UN/LOCODE Transit (days) Schedules read on
Beirut LBBEY 16–26 September 2026
EXW: buyer arranges collection, freight and insurance from the factory.
FOB: EMI Agro delivers on board at the named Lagos port; buyer arranges ocean freight.
CIF: EMI Agro arranges freight and insurance to the named discharge port.
Container configuration is calculated separately — use the shea export container calculator and the container notes on the export overview.
5
Step 5 — Customs clearance & inspection
Clearance in Lebanon is handled through MOH.
Boxes discharge at Beirut. Beirut buyers take the haul from that port.

Typical sea transit from Lagos to Lebanon (port-to-port days; confirm on the booking)
Port	UN/LOCODE	Transit (days)	Schedules read on
Beirut	LBBEY	16–26	September 2026

Working with EMI Agro

MOQ: Standard orders start at 20 tonnes. Trial lots start at 5 tonnes. Smaller volumes can still be requested — we review every enquiry against current production.
Lead time: Lead time is Ibadan production time plus ocean time to the named port. EMI Agro produces 40 tonnes per week of finished shea butter and can schedule rolling shipments. Exact weeks depend on the quantity on the purchase order.
Incoterms: EXW, FOB, CIF
Samples: Trial lots start at 5 tonnes of the named grade. Send the request even if you need less — we review whether we can supply.
Load ports: Apapa (Lagos) and Tin Can Island (Lagos)

For Lebanon buyers our supplier page covers MOQ, price basis, packaging and lead time in detail. Shea butter supplier in Lebanon.

For commodity background see the complete guide to shea butter.

How to import shea butter into the United Arab Emirates

How to import shea butter into Saudi Arabia

How to import shea butter into Qatar

How to import shea butter from Nigeria

Nigerian export-side procedure before the container sails.

Shea export container calculator

How many drums fit a container.

Exporting shea butter from Nigeria

HS heading, load ports and the country-guide hub.

Certificate of Analysis

How a batch COA is reported.

Frequently asked questions

References & standards

moph.gov.lb (accessed 13 September 2026)
maersk.com (accessed 13 September 2026)

Last reviewed September 2026 by EMI Agro Industries QC team.

Manufacturer-direct from Ibadan, Nigeria

Get an export quote for Lebanon

Tell us grade, volume and your port of discharge in Lebanon; we reply with pricing, the document set and a current COA.

You have just read How to Import Shea Butter into Lebanon. The next step is a real lot from the factory that produces it — EMI Agro, with factory-direct pricing and a batch Certificate of Analysis.

Trusted manufacturer
EMI Agro Industries Limited (RC 9364495) presses the butter in Ibadan — we are not a trading company.
Competitive factory-direct prices
Quoted EXW, FOB or CIF — the buyer chooses. You pay the factory, not a chain of middlemen.
Export-ready supply
We ship to European Union, United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Southeast Asia, China, India, Middle East, Latin America. Load ports: Apapa (Lagos) or Tin Can Island (Lagos).
Documented lots
40 tonnes per week of finished shea butter, a Certificate of Analysis on every batch, NAFDAC registered and SON approved.

Request an export quote