The Nigerian Postal Service has announced that, effective from August 29, 2025, all postal shipments from Nigeria with the exception of letters and documents to the United States, , will attract a mandatory prepaid customs duty of $80 or its naira equivalent. NIPOST explained that the new charges stem from a recent Executive Order signed by the Government of the United States of America suspending de minimis exemptions for all postal shipments globally.
Accordingly, the directive was issued under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
The notice partly reads; “The Nigerian Postal Service wishes to inform our esteemed customers of a recent policy change by the Government of the United States of America, enacted through the Executive Order on ‘Suspending Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment for All Countries’ under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act”
By this notice, the decision by the US government applies to all designated postal operators worldwide and is not limited to Nigeria.
The statement added, “This Executive Order applies to all postal operators and designated postal administrations worldwide, and the payment of the additional duty affects all global postal inflows into the United States, not just those from Nigeria.”
This is coming when Nigerians are groaning under economic austerity that the governemtnt of president Bola Tinubu foisted on Nigerians when he removed all subsidies the agency; meanwhile, assuring that the said the new measure will have far-reaching implications for Nigerians sending parcels and goods to family, friends and business partners in the U.S.
It disclosed that with immediate effect, global logistics operations were already aligning with the policy, with airlines and cargo carriers adopting stricter protocols in handling shipments destined for America.
“Global logistics operations are also being affected, as airline and cargo carriers adopt more cautious measures in handling U.S.-bound shipments. This may extend both transit and processing times, potentially resulting in delivery delays,” NIPOST stated.
The notice further stated that all U.S.-bound items would be subjected to additional Customs checks on arrival. This, officials said, may compound waiting times for recipients.
NIPOST, however, assured customers that it was actively working with international partners to cushion the impact.
It said, “NIPOST is actively engaging with the Universal Postal Union, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and our airline partners to minimise service disruptions and safeguard customer experience,”.
The postal service reiterated its commitment to ensuring efficient and reliable service delivery despite what it described as a “global regulatory adjustment.”
“We reassure our customers that NIPOST remains committed to providing safe, reliable and efficient postal and courier services despite this global regulatory adjustment.” it added.
Recall, that the United States had today ended tariff exemptions on small packages entering the country from abroad, in a move that has sparked concern among small businesses and warnings of consumer price hikes.
President Donald Trump’s administration cited the use of low-value shipments to evade tariffs and smuggle drugs in ending duty-free treatment for parcels valued at or under $800.
Instead, packages will either be subject to the tariff level applicable to their country of origin or face a specific duty ranging from $80 to $200 per item. But exclusions for some personal items and gifts remain.
Trump’s trade adviser, Peter Navarro, told correspondence that closing this “loophole” helps restrict the flow of “narcotics and other dangerous and prohibited items” while bringing fresh tariff revenues.
But the month long lead time Trump’s order provided has sparked agitation.
Postal services, including in France, Germany, Italy, India, Australia and Japan, earlier said most US-bound packages would no longer be accepted, Trump revealed.