Small business & global shipping advice from DHL Express

In 2025, Nigerian exporters shipped an impressive array of 281 different non-oil products to 120 countries, earning a record-breaking ₦12.36 trillion, more than four times the amount recorded just two years earlier. Yet, the businesses making the most of this global demand aren’t always the biggest or oldest names. They’re the ones who’ve mastered their paperwork and logistics before even approaching international buyers.

You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression, especially when selling across borders. Research shows that 60% of shoppers are wary of international online stores, and 71% won’t return after a bad experience. The margin for error? Nonexistent.

If you’re in the business of moving goods across Nigeria’s borders, you know how challenging customs clearance can be. Every hour spent waiting at the border is an hour not spent growing your business.

Nigeria’s participation in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) opens the door for imports of certain categories of goods from import duties.