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Many people are usually stuck when it comes to shipping goods from Nigeria to the USA. Some people still swear that it is impossible. Others will say that it is very costly. Till this moment, there is almost nothing you can’t send to the USA, legitimate things of course. You can also receive any item from the USA, from clothes, food items, gifts, to letters, and lots more. Many Nigerians are beginning to build online empires with the use of eBay, Instagram, and other online e-commerce platforms. They no longer have to worry about shipping their goods abroad because it has been made easy now. All the information you need to ship items from the USA to Nigeria has been put together in this article, stay tuned.
Requirements for shipping from Nigeria to the USA
To successfully send items to the USA, you need to make sure that a few requirements set up.
You need to:
1. Inspect your parcel
You need to check your items properly.
Rules are governing the type of things you can send.
The rules are to prevent the wrongdoers from misusing this opportunity.
Items like explosives, perishable goods, hazardous goods, animals, etc are not allowed.
You can always request for the list of prohibited items from your freight company of choice.
2. Find out the import rules for your goods
USA has customs restrictions and different rules when receiving items from another country.
Sometimes you might have to pay extra charges on items.
But this varies on the type and amount of items in your parcel.
It is always wise to enquire about the customs and border protection to have an idea of possible extra charges or paperwork you might need to know about.
3. Package your goods appropriately
The climate in the USA varies depending on the time of the year.
So if you’re sending your parcel in the winter, you have to package it differently than you will do in the summer.
There are guidelines online to help you pack your items appropriately.
4. Find the cheapest delivery for your type of item
Many delivery companies deal with sending items to the USA.
While trying to find an affordable one, do not lose sight of their credibility to avoid missing items or even getting scammed.
5. Description of items
You are required to provide an adequate description of your products.
From the quantity to the price value of the items.
This is for smooth transporting and to find and replace lost items easily.
Documents needed for shipping from Nigeria to the USA
Now that you know what to look for and how to package your goods, there are some documents you must be familiar with.
If you are trying to send small-sized items like a birthday gift to a friend in the USA, you don’t need all this jargon.
All you need to do is find a credible company that provides excellent services.
This list is for those who make it a business to send/ship items to the USA.
There are ten documents that you are required to have before shipping anything out of the country.
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of lading
- Consular invoice.
- Certificate of origin
- Inspection certification
- Dock receipt and warehouse receipt
- Destination control statement
- Insurance certificate
- Export license
- Export packing list
Methods of Delivery
1. Air shipping
This is the process of sending items abroad by air.
It is the fastest way to deliver any item from Nigeria to the United States.
Delivery by air is usually carried out within three days.
There are two different types of air shipping;
Expedited shipping, which usually takes 3 business days and Standard shipping are within 4-8 business days.
Air shipping is costly.
People mostly use it when they have no other option, or they need the item delivered very fast.
2. Ocean shipping
As the name implies, it is a method of shipping goods by sea.
They make use of containers.
And it takes for heavy or spacey products.
Delivery from the USA to Nigeria takes a period of 6 to 8 weeks or more.
Some huge shipping companies give their clients up to 25% discount on weekly ocean shipping from Nigeria to the USA.
You can opt for a Full Container if you are sending a lot of items at once.
Full container load shipping from Nigeria to the USA is available for businesses that have items that can fill up a container.
You can also ship a parcel of any size from just a pound to 100,000kg or more.
The person pays for the exact amount of space he or she needs in the container.
It is more affordable and is the choice of many businesses, especially those with large goods.
3. Shipping of heavy equipment/machinery
Shipping services are not limited to fashion items and documents.
A lot of people export heavy items that may need repair or return from Nigeria to the USA.
Most times, it is referred to as ‘break bulk’.
The service is for oversized or bulky items that cannot fit inside a container.
The shipping cost is very reasonable, and it takes about 6 to 8 weeks.
This service is mostly for equipment such as cars, caterpillars, tractors, cranes, heavy trucks, and other heavy-duty construction equipment.
How much does it cost to ship from Nigeria to USA?
I know a lot of us have been asking this question,
“how much is shipping from Nigeria to the USA?”
There is no definite answer to this question.
The weight and size of the packages determine the amount you will be charged.
You would have to check websites of the couriers we are about to discuss.
You can make use of their shipping calculators to determine an aggregate price.
Methods of Shipping to the USA
1. USPS
USPS is short for the United States Postal Service.
It is the most economical way of shipping to the USA.
Although it is not the most reliable shipping option, they have affordable rates.
Their delivery is quite fast, especially when the items are 16 ounces or less in weight.
The price ranges from 2 to 30 dollars or more depending on the size, weight, and estimated delivery date of the packages.
There is a price calculator available on its website.
Packages are delivered within 1-3 days, according to the site.
There have been instances of late delivery and missing items too.
But you know things could always go wrong sometimes.
They offer different types of services, which include first-class mail, priority mail, express mail, and USPS ground and media mail.
Those, as mentioned earlier, are the different types of packages available from little packages like mails to bigger boxes.
USPS ground is the cheapest way to ship packages to the USA, but it takes an extended amount of days, even longer than the 2-8 business days available on their website.
USPS remains an affordable means of shipping items to the USA.
But it is better to use it when you’re not in a hurry.
To ship with USPS:
- Pack your box correctly.
- Write or print the address and return address clearly on the package.
- Calculate and apply postage
- Drop your package at the post office or request for pick up.
2. DHL EXPRESS
DHL is a household name.
Almost everybody knows the company and what they do.
It is a pricey means to send items to the USA, but they are very reliable and are worth every kobo.
I would recommend DHL shipping from Nigeria to the USA for time-sensitive parcels.
RELATED: HOW TO GET USA NUMBER IN NIGERIA
They also provide a door-to-door delivery and ensure all packages are signed on-delivery to make sure your parcel is in safe hands.
Their price ranges from $0.50 per kg to a minimum charge of $50.00 depending on the size, weight, and delivery time of each shipment.
How to ship with DHL:
- Prepare your parcel.
- Label the package with both the sender and recipient’s contact details.
- Book a pick up on the website.
3. FedEx
FedEx is as much of a household name as DHL is.
It is also fairly pricey compared to other shipping methods, but they are also quite reliable.
They charge about $2.85 to $100 or more.
Their pricing depends on the weight and size of the goods and also the estimated delivery days.
For valuable or delicate items, they might need you to fill extra documents or pay a little extra.
They also have a price calculator for you to get an exact price for your shipment.
To ship with FedEx:
- Prepare your shipment.
- Pack your items properly.
- Determine the best FedEx service for your shipment.
- Print your shipping labels online and label the package.
- Drop off your package or schedule a pick-up.
4. UPS
UPS is short for United Parcel Service.
It is a fast and convenient way of shipping goods to the USA.
You can easily compare the service options available and create your shipping labels.
If you are shipping a 2 pounds package or heavier, FedEx Ground will almost always be cheaper than USPS Priority Mail.
It costs about $7 to $12 for standard shipping with UPS Ground service.
Note: UPS requires you to check their shipping regulations before making use of their service.
How to ship with UPS:
- Enter your shipment details on their website.
- Provide detailed information about your items.
- Decide who pays or if the bill is to be split between the sender and receiver.
- Drop off your items or book a pick-up.
5. Parcel Monkey
Do you want to send a package to the US from Nigeria?
You have no problem.
Parcel Monkey helps its customers find the cheapest shipping rates to Nigeria in just a few clicks.
Wherever you need to send a package to, they have price comparison service to help you find a courier service that suits your budget and time.
The cost of shipping depends on the size and weight of your package and your estimated delivery day, but there are discounts available to help you keep your delivery to a minimum cost.
When you request a quote from Parcel Monkey, you will get a choice of express and economy services, tailored to the size and weight of your package.
They will provide you with shipping quotes to Nigeria from a range of carriers, including DHL.
It’s free to get a quote, and you don’t even have to register.
For a quick quote, simply enter the weight of your package into the quote bar at the top of their page to start comparing the prices.
For a more accurate price, there is a shipping calculator available.
Just enter the weight, dimensions, and destination details of your package.
6. Mediterranean Shipping Company
This is one of the biggest shipping companies in the world.
They mostly deal with cargo shipping from Nigeria to the USA and many other countries.
And have acquired an impressive reputation in the shipping world over the years.
Also, have tracking schedules to help you keep track of your goods.
This shipping company has an array of career options for those that want to work in the shipping business.
7. AP Maersk Shipping Company
Maersk is a top-rated company in the world.
They ship cargo from Nigeria to USA and many other countries.
They have also earned an essential place in the shipping sector because they have a large chain of business.
Maersk does not only ship your containers for you, but they also help the large company to solve their delivery problems, which means that they probably sent the majority of the clothes in your wardrobe right now for you.
They carry millions of cargo every day, and they manage to deliver efficiently.
They also have over 300 ports in more than 120 countries, giving you a fast and reliable connection to all corners of the globe.
Shipping from Nigeria to the USA conslusion
These are the reputable companies that do the dirty work of shipping your items to the USA for you.
All you have to do is to entrust them with your packages and trust that they will deliver.
There are a few other courier services that ship to the USA but are not as popular as the companies listed above.
I hope that we were able to provide the information you need.
Either for those that want to start a business or for the individuals that just want to send items to the USA.
Please make sure that you only deal with verified couriers to avoid losing your money and property.
I ordered an herbal remedy from Nigeria and I now feel that I was taken advantage of as I paid $250 for the herbal tinctures and he charged me $1100.00 USD for FedEx delivery (I confirmed with FedEx International agent that the cost was $398,00 to California) and he wanted to charge me an additional $1450.00 for what he said was their Homeland Security fees?!! The package was small and weighed a pound! Please advise!!