Overseas Shipping: The ultimate guide to shipping to Nigeria and Ghana with ease

What comes to mind when you need to ship a package overseas?

Custom officers, legal papers, ridiculous fees, restrictions, delays, and more fees?

We thought so too.

The hassles that come with overseas shipping can be frustrating and discouraging. However, it is a necessary evil if you seek scalability in your business and have your skin in the game.

This timely article will give you the guidance you need for an efficient, timely, and cost-saving shipping process from Overseas to Nigeria and Ghana. But first, you may wonder why overseas shipping is such a big deal in this digital age.

Overseas shipping is a critical component of the global economy. It connects businesses and consumers across borders, enabling the movement of raw materials and finished goods, and driving international trade. It creates a form of interdependency around the globe. You may not have access to certain products where you are; however, they may be widely available elsewhere. What bridges that gap and meets your needs is overseas shipping.

The overseas shipping process can be complex, requiring multiple stages and processes, from the shipment’s origin to the last-mile delivery destination. And this can take days or months.

However, technology companies like GIG Logistics have built the right systems to make the process faster, seamless, efficient, and affordable.

If you want to ship products from the UK, US, CHINA, and other countries to Nigeria and Ghana, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Shipping methods

There are three channels for overseas shipping: air, sea, and land. Each channel has advantages and disadvantages you may need to consider before opting for any. Also, keep in mind that their delivery costs differ based on the weight and value of the packages.

1. Air Cargo

This method is unsurprisingly the swiftest and most popular for overseas shipping to Nigeria and Ghana.

Pros

It is the best option for time-sensitive deliveries and express deliveries. For instance, if you need to deliver perishable goods such as vegetables or pharmaceutical products or deliver a package to a customer urgently, it would be best to ship via air.

Cons

Overseas shipping by air can be quite costly, depending on the package, weight, and distance.

Cost and Delivery

This varies in many ways for different shipping companies. However, with the GIGGo App by GIG Logistics, you can shop directly from the UK and ship to Nigeria & Ghana by using the overseas shipping feature. You will receive your item within 3 to 4 business days at a shipping rate of £4.90/kg.

If shopping from the US, you will receive your order within 7 to 14 business days at a shipping rate of $4.49/lb.

2. Sea Cargo

Sea cargo is your best bet if you are looking to ship bulky packages like vehicles, industrial equipment, and large furniture without issues, especially as air cargo is not an option here.

Pros

A sea cargo would be a good choice for your overseas shipping to Nigeria and Ghana when your packages are large-sized. Sea cargo is also a great option if you want to ship large packages at a lesser cost.

READ ALSO:GIG Logistics brings China closer to Nigeria with its launch in the Asian continent.

Cons

Although sea cargo is preferable for large packages, the delivery may take weeks.

3. Road Transport

If you are shipping from a nearby African nation, you may want to consider shipping via land.

Pros

If you are thinking of saving money, road transport is a great option for shipping from Nigeria to Ghana and vice versa. However, special arrangements can be made when shipping to other African countries.

Cons

Overseas shipping via land involves risks such as unexpected delays, possible bandit attacks, inability to ship massive packages, slower turn-around-time, etc. It is also not always an excellent option for perishable packages and urgent deliveries.

Customs and regulations

Now, to the part where most people dread and avoid: customs and regulations. You need to prepare the required documents for shipping and find out Nigeria’s and Ghana’s import duties and taxes before shipping any package.

Some of the required documents are your ID, proof of address, proof of insurance, and invoice. However, the kind of package you are shipping determines the documents you are required to prepare and submit.

Note that there are also regulations for specific items.

For instance, you cannot ship alcoholic beverages, bleach, animal skin, acids, precious stones, gold, silver, artworks, firearms, and explosives to Ghana. You are responsible for abiding by the rules and regulations of the country you choose to ship goods. Remember, all shipments are subjected to inspection. Therefore, you can avoid run-ins with the law by complying with regulations.

Tip for successful customs clearance

There are a few things you could do to get customs clearance; however, the best tip you can get for efficient overseas shipping to Nigeria and Ghana is to let a shipping company handle the work for you.

Choosing a shipping company

When shipping to Nigeria and Ghana, shipping and courier companies are the best options. They help you bypass dealing with customs and regulatory issues. They are also faster, safer, and more reliable. These companies offer services that make it possible to track your packages and get them delivered right to your doorstep.

So, you may wonder, what shipping company can best serve you? This is where GIG Logistics comes in.

GIG Logistics is Africa’s leading logistics company powered by innovative technology solutions. GIG Logistics is your best option for speed, stress-free, and reliability whenever you want to ship to Nigeria and Ghana.

With the assistance of a strong network, a state-of-the-art-technology, and a rapidly expanding global footprint, GIG Logistics makes it simple for you to send and receive goods using the GIGGo App anywhere and anytime. Using the overseas shipping feature on the app, you can ship from any country to Nigeria and Ghana in no time.

Conclusion

When shipping your packages to Nigeria and Ghana, it is wise to weigh your options first because not all shipping methods will suit your specific needs regarding bulkiness, fragility, or urgency.

Finally, the legal process involved in shipping packages to Nigeria and Ghana may be lengthy. Therefore, it is in your best interest to choose a shipping company such as GIG Logistics.

By Rachel N. Udeh

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now