- Safiu Kehinde
The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has on Friday slammed a mandatory prepaid customs duty of $80 on all non-document postal shipments from Nigeria to the United States.
This was announced in a statement issued by the Director Corporate Communications, Ibrahim Musa.
According to the statement, the prepaid customs duty estimated to be around N122,400 was imposed in compliance with a new U.S. Executive Order suspending duty-free exemptions on global postal shipments,
NIPOST explained that the directive which takes effect from today will now see all non-document postal items attract the fixed $80 charge or its equivalent.
The service maintained that the change which is part of a broader U.S. policy affects not just Nigeria but also affects other postal operators worldwide.
NIPOST also warned of extended transit and processing times as international cargo carriers are now adopting more cautious measures.
“Effective Aug. 29, all non-document postal items—including parcels and packages—destined for the U.S. will attract the fixed charge of USD $80 or its Naira equivalent.
“While this fee is technically a customs duty imposed by the U.S. government, NIPOST is responsible for its collection,
“This fee must be paid by the customer at the point of acceptance at any postal outlet in Nigeria,