By Muhammad Mamman
Nigeria’s Customs Service has begun enforcing a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) regulating courier companies operating under the Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) Incoterm, marking a significant shift in the oversight of international parcel delivery.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, announced the move in a statement issued on Monday by the Service’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada.
Under the new guidelines, courier firms seeking to operate under the DDP regime must now obtain a formal licence from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). The licence will be issued by the Headquarters Licence and Permit Unit within the Tariff and Trade Department.
Customs officials say the measure is aimed at strengthening regulatory compliance, improving revenue collection and ensuring greater transparency in cross-border trade facilitated by courier services.
The DDP Incoterm allows sellers to assume full responsibility for delivering goods to buyers, including the payment of customs duties and taxes. However, authorities have raised concerns in recent years over abuse of the framework and weak oversight of operators.
The NCS said the new SOP would standardise operations, close regulatory gaps and enhance accountability across the courier and logistics sector.
Courier companies already operating under the DDP arrangement are expected to regularise their status in line with the new requirements, as enforcement begins nationwide.
The announcement underscores Customs’ broader push to modernise trade procedures and tighten control over Nigeria’s fast-growing e-commerce and logistics space.
