Nigerian Woman Details Shipping Costs for Food and Clothes from Nigeria to Canada
A Nigerian woman residing in Calgary, Canada, has shared her detailed experience of shipping approximately 120 kilograms of foodstuffs and clothing items from Nigeria to her new home. The woman, who posted a video on TikTok under the username @tee_dagz, provided a comprehensive breakdown of the shipping expenses involved in this international logistics endeavor.
Shipping Expenses Breakdown
The woman explained that she paid 60,000 Nigerian Naira (approximately $40 USD) in Nigeria to have her items shipped by sea. Once the shipment arrived in Canada, she incurred an additional expense of 170 Canadian Dollars (approximately 167,000 Nigerian Naira or $125 USD) to receive the goods from the shipping company. This brought her total shipping costs to approximately 227,000 Nigerian Naira for the 120kg shipment.
The items she shipped included essential Nigerian food staples such as beans, garri, semovita, and cereal, along with clothing items and hair extensions. Her video was captioned "Foodstuff shipping from Nigeria to Canada," highlighting the practical aspect of maintaining cultural food connections while living abroad.
Diaspora Reactions and Community Response
The video sparked significant reactions from other Nigerians living abroad, with many sharing their own experiences and offering advice about international shipping. One commenter, @Máyọ̀wá, emphasized the cost-effectiveness of sea cargo compared to air freight, noting that sea shipping costs approximately 400 Naira per kilogram while air cargo can reach 7,000 Naira per kilogram.
"Ever since I know about sea cargo, I always bring in over 200kg of food," @Máyọ̀wá commented. "Air cargo is rubbish. People should stop using air cargo. Sea cargo is like 400 naira per kg while air is 7000 naira per kg. Although, it takes 1-2 months to get to Canada but it worth it."
Other commenters requested shipping agent contacts and shared their own shipping experiences. @Heeda mentioned, "We cargo in March last year and this is Jan, we starting to run low. We don’t even know what some things cost here anymore. It worth it!"
Practical Considerations for International Shipping
The discussion highlighted several practical aspects of shipping goods from Nigeria to Canada. While sea shipping is significantly cheaper than air freight, it requires longer transit times of 1-2 months. Many commenters emphasized the importance of planning ahead and shipping in larger quantities to make the process cost-effective.
Some commenters also noted the challenges of shipping as single individuals, with @beckyakins5 stating, "I’m single and this will not work for me. Except I have someone I can pair with," suggesting that collaborative shipping might be more practical for smaller households.
The conversation extended beyond just shipping costs, touching on broader themes of cultural preservation, economic considerations for diaspora communities, and the practical logistics of maintaining connections to home countries while living abroad.
