The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has announced that Nigerians will now pay a mandatory prepaid customs fee of $80 or its naira equivalent for “every package sent to the US.”
The new fee, which took effect on August 29, 2025, will not apply to letters and documents.
In a circular, NIPOST explained that the new charge is a result of a recent “US Executive Order” which “suspended de minimis exemptions for all postal shipments worldwide.”
The order, officially titled “Suspending Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment For All Countries” (Executive Order 14324), was issued by President Donald Trump on July 30, 2025, and went into effect on August 29.
The directive applies to postal operators globally and is part of a US effort to address what the government has described as the use of low-value shipments to evade tariffs and smuggle illicit goods.
According to NIPOST, the new rule is expected to have far-reaching implications and may extend “both transit and processing times” for shipments.
In a statement, the postal agency said it is “actively engaging with the Universal Postal Union (UPU), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and our airline partners to minimize service disruptions and safeguard customer experience.”
The agency said, “With effect from August 29, 2025, and in compliance with the Executive Order, all postal items to the United States, except for letters and documents, will now attract a prepaid customs duty of USD $80 (or its naira equivalent) at the point of acceptance in Nigeria”.
It stated, “Global logistics operations are also being affected, as airline and cargo carriers adopt more cautious measures in handling US-bound shipments. This may extend both transit and processing times, potentially resulting in delivery delays. All US-bound shipments will additionally undergo Customs checks at the destination.
“NIPOST is actively engaging with the Universal Postal Union (UPU), US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and our airline partners to minimise service disruptions and safeguard customer experience,” the circular read partly.
“We reassure our customers that NIPOST remains committed to providing safe, reliable,and efficient postal and courier services despite this global regulatory
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