Nafeza is the Egyptian Customs Authority's single-window platform for foreign trade, administered under the Ministry of Finance. Every Egyptian export shipment requires an ACID number (Advance Cargo Information Declaration) — a 19-digit declaration issued by Nafeza that must appear on the Bill of Lading or Air Waybill within 48 hours before vessel arrival at the Egyptian port of loading. Without a valid ACID, the shipping line will not release the BL and the vessel refuses loading.
For Uzbek procurement and finance teams, understanding the ACID workflow is what keeps a weekly Egyptian programme on schedule. The operational lens — "which document goes where, by when" — is at the Nafeza/ACID logistics page. This page covers the compliance and documentation perspective for procurement.
What Nafeza is
Nafeza is Egypt's national customs single window. It digitises pre-clearance and ties together every export-side document under a single declaration. The platform issues:
- ACID number — 19-digit declaration on every export shipment
- Customs declarations for both export and import
- Document linking between BL, invoice, packing list, phyto certificate, Certificate of Origin
- Risk management scoring on declared shipments
The system is mandatory for all Egyptian sea and air export shipments since 2021.
The ACID workflow at a glance
| Step | Action | Owner | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Importer supplies consignee data | Uzbek buyer | T-7 days minimum |
| 2 | Egyptian exporter files ACID via Nafeza | Egyptian exporter | T-48 h before vessel arrival |
| 3 | ACID number issued by Egyptian Customs | Nafeza platform | T-48 h |
| 4 | ACID number printed on BL / AWB | Shipping line / airline | At loading |
| 5 | Shipment cleared at port of loading | Egyptian Customs | Loading |
Documents that must match ACID
The ACID declaration ties together the entire export pack. Any mismatch triggers rejection:
- Commercial invoice — HS code, quantity, FOB value
- Packing list — carton-level detail
- Bill of Lading / Air Waybill — consignee, port-of-discharge, ACID number
- Phyto certificate issued by Egyptian CAPQ — see the Uzbek phytosanitary protocol
- Certificate of Origin — Egyptian Chamber of Commerce
Role of the Uzbek buyer
The Uzbek buyer's contribution is accurate consignee data, supplied on time — typically 7 days before vessel arrival at the Egyptian port. Required:
- Importer legal name
- Importer registration number
- Importer address
- TIN (Tax Identification Number)
- Bank channel reference for payment
- Confirmation of HS code and product description
No direct Nafeza-side filing is required from the Uzbek end. The platform is an Egyptian export-side single window only.
Common questions
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What happens if ACID is missing or wrong on the BL? The shipping line will not release the Bill of Lading and the vessel refuses to load. The Egyptian exporter must re-file via Nafeza, reschedule the loading window, and absorb the delay — typically a minimum 48 hours. Repeated errors trigger heightened risk-scoring on the exporter's account.
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Who is responsible for the ACID number? The Egyptian exporter's logistics team submits the ACID through Nafeza. The Uzbek buyer's role is upstream: supplying accurate consignee data 7 days minimum before vessel arrival.
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Does the Uzbek importer need to register on Nafeza? No — Nafeza is an Egyptian export-side single window. The Uzbek importer interacts only via the Egyptian exporter, providing consignee data and confirming HS code.
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How early should consignee data reach the Egyptian exporter? Minimum 7 days before vessel arrival for sea shipments, 5 days for air. Earlier is better for first-engagement shipments where a typo in the legal name or TIN can take days to resolve through the Egyptian Customs Authority.
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Can ACID be filed late if there's an emergency? In rare cases the Egyptian Customs Authority will accept an emergency filing inside the 48-hour window, but this is not a routine option. Programmatic exporters maintain a 72-hour buffer to avoid emergency-filing exposure.