As a business or individual interested in shipping goods in and out of Nigeria, the cost of doing this is essential as you make plans/budgets for the shipment.
This article offers a simplified way of estimating the cost of shipping goods in and out of Nigeria by sea and air, using an example from our clients’ shipping costs.
Let’s calculate your shipping cost and ship your goods together.
How Shipping Costs Are Calculated?
Calculating your shipping cost depends on specific information about the goods you want to ship, your shipping preference, and other external factors.
Shipping costs are generally calculated by multiplying this information by standard rates. Later in this article, I will show you SARA standard shipping rates.
It is important to note that the cost of shipping varies from time to time. This is why we advise contacting a freight forwarder to get a shipping quote and get the exact cost of shipping your goods.
SARA shipping experts can help you here. Share details about your goods, and we will give you your shipping cost and ship your goods for you.
Factors Affecting Shipping Costs
To understand better how shipping costs are calculated and why they actually increase sometimes, here are factors you should be aware of:
1. Distance:
The location of the goods you want to ship to Nigeria can affect the cost of shipping them here.
Shipping identical goods from China and the USA will result in varying shipping costs due to the difference in distance traveled.
The farther the good is from Nigeria, the more fuel is consumed in moving it, and the more days spent in transit. Hence, the greater the distance between the origin and destination of your goods, the higher your shipping cost.
2. Shipping Method:
The method you select for shipping your goods also affects the cost of shipping them.
The main shipping methods available today are:
- Air freight,
- Sea freight, or,
- Land transportation (road or rail).
Each shipping method calculates shipping costs differently. For example, while battery Iaden goods cost $8 - $9 per KG in air freight, they cost around $580 per CBM (which is about 167 KG) in sea freight.
When selecting a preferred shipping method for your goods, also consider the cost difference between each method.
3. Delivery Speed:
Generally, Air freight is always faster than Sea freight and costs more. Hence, your desire for a faster shipping time will increase your shipping cost.
Aside from that, opting for expedited shipping services like “express shipping,” which gets your goods delivered to you about 3-5 days faster than the regular estimated arrival time, will cost more.
The faster the shipping transit time, the higher the shipping cost.
4. Package Weight:
Another factor that affects your shipping cost is the weight of the goods to be shipped.
This is an essential factor in air and sea freight, as the vehicles transporting these goods have limited weight capacity. Hence, most carriers use weight-based pricing models to determine shipping costs, e.g., $9 per KG.
The weight of your package can also influence some of the destination regulatory changes, which adds to your overall shipping cost.
You can estimate the cost of your shipping by measuring the weight of the goods and multiplying it by the cost per weight. We have an example later in this article.
5. Package Dimensions:
In addition to the actual weight of your package, another important factor is the dimension of the package.
The package dimensions are in CBM and calculated by multiplying the length, width, and height of the package together (length X width X height).
The dimension of the package shows how much space the goods will occupy in the transporting vehicle. The more space your goods occupy in the shipping vehicle, the more your shipping cost.
6. LCL or FCL:
Are your goods less than a container load (LCL) or a full container load (FCL)?
If the quantity of goods you are shipping fills a standard 20ft or 40ft container, you will have to pay for the whole container.
In cases where it is less than a container load, you only pay for the space your package occupies in the container, and the other cost is split with other businesses shipping goods at the same time as you.
7. Destination Regulatory Charges:
When shipping goods to Nigeria, there are fees and expenses associated with complying with the regulatory requirements for importing goods.
Some of these fees include the following:
- Customs duties,
- Value-added taxes,
- Import processing fees,
- Customs clearance fees,
- Customs brokerage fees,
- Warehousing fees, and so on.
The same applies if you export your goods to other countries, and the fees vary for different destinations.
The type of products you are shipping also affects the cost of complying with these legal regulations, with some goods incurring more fees than others, such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, chemicals, hazardous materials, etc.
When we give our clients a shipping quote, we include all these charges so you can be assured of full compliance.
8. Currency Fluctuations:
In today’s economy, the currency exchange rate fluctuates constantly. This affects the cost of everything related to shipping goods globally, including imported goods prices, fuel costs, and freight costs.
Your shipping cost today could be half a million naira; tomorrow, it will be less or more. Consult our expert shipping team for precise shipping costs.
Example of Shipping Cost Breakdown
Note: The shipping cost below might have changed. Reach out to get an accurate quote.
| Client Name: | Joshnka Technolgy Limited. |
| Procurement Need: | Charger cords |
| Tracking Number: | 7877******3844 |
| Package Weight: | 4KG |
| Freight Rate: | $7 per KG (customs clearance/charges inclusive) |
| Freight Fee: | $28 (4KG x 7$) |
| Conversion Rate: | 1230NGN |
| GRAND TOTAL: | 34,440NGN ($28 x 1230NGN) |
Client’s Testimonial:
Great company with guaranteed air and sea goods delivery. Fast shipping with 3 months for sea goods and 10 days for air goods. Unbeatable prices. Thanks, guys! Keep up the good work!
China to Lagos Standard Air Freight Shipping Rate From SARA
| Goods Type | Shipping Cost per KG | ETA |
| Nonbattery Iaden goods | $8 - $9 | 10 days |
| battery Iaden goods | $8 - $9 | 10-15 days |
| Phones, power banks, Liquid, magnetic and cosmetic goods | $18 - $19 | 10-15 days |
Note: Fees include Customs clearance charges
China to Lagos Standard Sea Freight Shipping Rate From SARA
| Goods Type | Shipping Cost per CBM | ETA |
| Nonbattery Iaden goods | $300 - $320 | 90 days |
| battery Iaden goods | $570 - $590 | 90 days |
| Sensitive goods (Liquids) | $350 - $370 | 90 days |
Note: Fees include Customs clearance charges
Ship your goods with SARA at a Cost Effective Rate
Are you looking for a trusted logistic company to handle your product shipping for you?
At Sara, we have helped our clients ship over 180 thousand goods globally. We have trusted personnel globally that can go down to your supplier and get the package; you have it here in Nigeria in days.
Tell us more about your package, and we take it from there.
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