By The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has announced that, Nigerians sending parcels to the United States (US) will be required to prepay a customs duty of $80, or its naira equivalent.
In a public notice released on Friday, August 29, NIPOST clarified that this duty is not exclusive to Nigeria but applies to all countries affected by the US directive, which was issued under the authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
This new charge, which does not apply to letters or documents, is a result of a US executive order that has suspended the de minimis exemption for duty free postal shipments.
The order requires all postal operators and designates postal administrations worldwide to collect the levy before dispatch.
The agency also cautioned that global logistics operations are being affected, as airlines and cargo carriers adopt stricter procedures for US bound parcels.
This regulatory change may extend both transit and processing times, leading to potential delivery delays. Furthermore, all shipments will now be subject to customs inspections upon their arrival in the US.
To reduce these disruptions, NIPOST stated that it is in discussions with the Universal Postal Union (UPU), US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and its airline partners.
The agency reassured its customers of its commitment to providing secure, dependable, and efficient postal and courier services despite this global regulatory shift.
The US decision to suspend the de minimis rule is part of broader trade and security measures and impacts all countries that send parcels through postal services.
Analysts believe this policy could have a ripple effect on cross-border e commerce, small businesses, and individuals who depend on international shipping for personal and commercial purposes.
Earlier in the month of April, DHL, a major global logistics company, announced a temporary halt to its business-to-consumer (B2C) shipments to private individuals in the US.
This decision was in response to new US Customs regulations that significantly lowered the threshold for formal customs processing.
DHL stated that this change, enforced by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), led to a substantial increase in formal entry processing, straining its resources and causing multi-day delivery delays for high-value shipments.
It is important to understand that the de minimis exemption is a trade regulation that allows goods below a certain value to enter a country free of customs duties or taxes.
Previously, the US threshold was set at $800 per shipment, which meant low-value parcels were often exempt from duties.
However, under the new executive order, all parcels sent via postal services will now incur a flat $80 customs duty, regardless of their value.
This is anticipated to increase costs for individuals and businesses shipping small packages, including online purchases.
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