Can I Get My Shipment Delivered to My Door from Overseas?
Can you get your shipment delivered to your door from overseas? Yes. Whether you are buying a single pallet from the UK or a 40ft container from China, you can arrange door-to-door delivery to your office, warehouse, shop or site in Nigeria.
The real question is how, because "door-to-door" can mean very different things depending on who you book with and what is included.
Key takeaways
- Yes, overseas goods can be delivered to your door in Nigeria by courier or a door-to-door freight service.
- Door-to-door covers pickup, freight, clearance and delivery. Confirm whether duties are included.
- Indicative door-to-door time from China is 10–20 days by air and 50–70 days by sea.
- Check the importer of record, insurance, access and unloading before you book.
What door-to-door shipping actually means
A true door-to-door service covers every step:
1. Pickup from your supplier's premises.
2. Export clearance in the origin country.
3. International freight by sea, air or road.
4. Arrival handling at the Nigerian port or airport.
5. Import customs clearance, including duty payment.
6. Inland haulage and last-mile delivery to your address.
7. Unloading (if agreed) and proof of delivery.
Other service levels stop earlier:
| Service type | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Port-to-port | Origin port | Destination port |
| Door-to-port | Supplier's door | Destination port |
| Port-to-door | Origin port | Your door |
| Door-to-door | Supplier's door | Your door |
Always confirm in writing where the service starts and ends, and whether duties and taxes are included.
Your door-to-door options
1. Express courier
DHL, FedEx, UPS and similar companies deliver small parcels door to door, usually within days. They handle clearance, and duties are billed to you or the sender.
Best for: documents, samples, small high-value parcels.
2. Freight forwarder door-to-door service
A freight forwarder coordinates pickup, freight, clearance and delivery for larger shipments, LCL, FCL or air cargo.
Best for: commercial shipments where you want one accountable partner and a clear cost breakdown.
3. Supplier-arranged DDP delivery
Your supplier quotes a delivered price including duties. It sounds simple, but you have less visibility and may face problems if the supplier's agent cannot properly clear goods in Nigeria. See DDP vs DAP.
4. Consolidators and shipping agents for small importers
Services that group many small orders from China, the UK or the US into shared shipments and deliver locally.
Best for: small businesses and e-commerce sellers. Check carefully that goods are properly declared.
What affects door-to-door costs?
- Shipping mode, air costs more than sea.
- Volume and weight, including volumetric weight for air.
- Origin location, pickup from inland factories costs more.
- Customs duty and VAT, often the largest single cost.
- Destination, delivery within Lagos differs from Abuja, Kano or Port Harcourt.
- Delivery requirements, forklift, unloading, time windows, multiple drops.
- Container return, for FCL, the empty container must go back to the shipping line.
For budgeting, read how to calculate your total landed cost and what to expect to pay for last-mile delivery.
How long does door-to-door delivery take?
Indicative total timelines from China to a Lagos address:
- Express courier: about 5–14 days.
- Air freight door-to-door: about 10–20 days.
- Sea freight door-to-door: about 50–70 days.
These include pickup, transit, clearance and delivery. See our full guide to budgeting for door-to-door delivery time.
Door-to-door for different types of buyers
Small businesses and e-commerce sellers
If you buy regularly from suppliers in China, Turkey, Dubai, the UK or the US, a consolidated door-to- door service lets you combine orders and receive them together. This lowers per-unit freight and simplifies clearance. See cargo consolidation.
Manufacturers and distributors
You may want full containers delivered straight to your factory or warehouse, with delivery timed to production schedules. Ask for delivery booking in advance and a plan for returning empty containers quickly.
Project and construction companies
Machinery and project cargo often need break bulk shipping, special trucks, escorts and site access planning. Door-to-door here includes route surveys and lifting equipment.
Individuals relocating or buying personal goods
Personal effects follow different rules from commercial goods. Ask your forwarder about documentation for used household items.
Common door-to-door delivery problems, and how to avoid them
- Wrong or incomplete address, provide GPS location, landmark and a contact phone number.
- Nobody available to receive goods, agree a delivery window.
- Access issues, narrow roads, height limits or estate gate rules for trucks.
- Surprise charges on delivery, confirm duty, delivery and unloading costs in writing beforehand.
- Damage on the final leg, insist on proper loading, securing and proof of delivery with photos.
Door-to-door delivery beyond Lagos
Most international cargo enters through Lagos. Delivery to other cities adds inland haulage:
- South-West, Ibadan, Abeokuta, Ota: short road haulage.
- North, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna: long-haul trucking, rail options, or clearance at inland dry ports where available.
- South-South and East, Port Harcourt, Aba, Onitsha: road haulage from Lagos, or import through Onne port.
Our inland haulage and last-mile delivery service covers deliveries across Nigeria.
What to check before booking door-to-door
- Are duties and taxes included or estimated separately?
- Who is the importer of record on Form M?
- Is insurance included from pickup to delivery?
- What happens if the delivery address has no access for large trucks?
- Who handles unloading?
- Are there storage charges if you are not ready to receive?
- Can goods be held in a warehouse first? See can I store goods before final delivery.
Frequently asked questions
Can I ship from China directly to my house in Nigeria?
Yes, via courier or a door-to-door freight service. Larger shipments need an address accessible to delivery trucks.
Does door-to-door delivery include customs duty?
Only if it is quoted as DDP or "duties included". Many door-to-door quotes exclude duty, always ask.
Is door-to-door shipping more expensive?
It includes more services, so the price is higher than port-to-port. But it often costs less overall than arranging each step separately.
Can I track a door-to-door shipment?
Yes. A good forwarder provides updates from pickup to delivery. Use the DE-BLINGS tracking page.
From your supplier's door to yours
DE-BLINGS Global Logistics handles the entire journey, freight, customs clearance and final delivery, with one point of contact and no hidden charges. Get a free door-to-door quote.
