We are a Japanese exporter shipping used tires by the container to West Africa. Togo’s own rules are the easy part of this page; the part worth reading carefully concerns how a shipment gets classified before it ever leaves Japan.
We found no law restricting the import of used tires into Togo. Beyond the UEMOA/ECOWAS common external tariff, an 18% VAT, an infrastructure protection tax and an African Union levy apply. Used vehicle imports face their own, separate rules (generally 2017-model-year or newer), which do not affect a standalone tire shipment.
The real risk sits on the export side, not the import side
In September 2024, Swiss authorities fined a Togo-based individual for shipping used tires and broken appliances to Togo, ruling them waste rather than reusable goods under Swiss law — Switzerland restricts waste exports to non-OECD countries. Japan is also an OECD member and a Basel Convention party, so the same distinction applies to what we ship: whether a container is treated as reusable product or waste turns on tread depth, condition and how well that can be demonstrated, not on anything Togo requires. We grade and record condition at the point of loading so that distinction is documented, not assumed — ask us about our grading records if you need them for your own compliance.
The ocean route
Lomé Autonomous Port is Sub-Saharan Africa’s busiest container port by volume (about 2.06 million TEU) and the main transit route for landlocked Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali — over 90% of the port’s transit cargo goes to those three countries. If your buyer also serves Burkina Faso, ask us about combining volumes; we cover that market on its own page too.
We load from thirteen Japanese ports — Ishikari, Tomakomai, Hachinohe, Akita, Sendai, Niigata, Kashiwazaki, Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe and Moji. Which one we use depends on where the stock is collected, not on where you are.
We do not publish transit times, because they depend on the carrier and the routing on the day. Ask us when you enquire and we will give you the schedule we are actually being quoted.
What fits in a container
- Passenger car tires (PCR), 12–17 inch — about 3,500 pieces in a 40ft, loaded 2-in-1 or 3-in-1
- Truck and bus tires (TBR), 11R22.5 single size — 288 pieces in a 40ft
- Mixed PCR and light truck — roughly 2,200 PCR plus 500–550 LT pieces
Full size lists and grading are on the category pages: passenger car tires, truck & bus tires, light truck tires and casings for retreading.
Terms and payment
We quote CIF to your discharge port. Marine insurance is included on every shipment. Freight is normally prepaid in Japan; collect at your end can be arranged if that suits your bank better.
Most customers pay by T/T. For a yearly contract we also work with L/C at sight.
FAQ — importing used tires from Japan to Togo
Is it legal to import used tires into Togo?
We found no law restricting used tire imports. Standard charges apply: UEMOA/ECOWAS common external tariff, 18% VAT, an infrastructure protection tax and an African Union levy.
What is the Swiss case about, and does it affect me?
It concerns export-side waste law in the shipping country, not Togo’s import rules. Japan has similar OECD/Basel Convention obligations, which is why we document tire condition and grading at the point of loading — ask us for those records if useful.
Is Lomé also useful if I sell into Burkina Faso or Mali?
Yes. Lomé is the primary transit port for both, handling the large majority of their overland cargo. Tell us if you need volumes split across borders.
What is the minimum order?
One 40ft container.
Can I mix sizes and types in one container?
Yes. Tell us the sizes and roughly what share of each you want.
Request an offer for Togo
Send us your discharge port, the sizes you want and the rough quantity. We reply with a CIF price and the loading schedule.
How the buying process works — from the first enquiry through inspection, loading and documents.
