Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are scrambling as President Donald Trump’s trade policies tighten further.
The United States has now ended the popular $800 duty-free exemption for small packages, a move already disrupting global e-commerce shipments.
This policy change comes as America reports a $576 million trade surplus with Nigeria in the first half of 2025.
Fresh data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis shows a sharp reversal from a $779 million deficit recorded in the same period of 2024.
The shift underscores a major turnaround in U.S.–Nigeria trade flows. American exports into Nigeria surged while Nigerian shipments into the U.S. weakened.
Between January and June 2025, U.S. exports rose by 41 percent year-on-year, jumping from $2.36 billion to $3.34 billion.
Imports from Nigeria went the other way, sliding 12 percent from $3.14 billion to $2.76 billion.
This $1.3 billion swing positioned Washington as a net surplus partner, a first in years.
Yet, for businesses relying on e-commerce, the tariff exemption rollback is hitting hard.
The “de minimis” rule, which allowed goods valued at $800 or less to enter the U.S. duty-free, will be scrapped beginning Friday.
It’s the second strike in months against the exemption loophole often used by global online retailers.
In May, the Trump administration already suspended the rule for shipments from China and Hong Kong, striking low-cost sellers like Shein and Temu.
The ripple effect is global. Postal operators in Asia and Europe are halting deliveries to the U.S. Singapore’s SingPost and India’s Department of Posts confirmed suspensions, while DHL will stop accepting U.S. shipments from August 25. Austria’s postal service will follow on August 26.
The combined effect is clear: U.S. consumers will face fewer cheap imports, while small businesses around the world lose one of their easiest access points to the American market.
Trump’s tariffs may be boosting U.S. exports, but for MSMEs worldwide, the cost is already biting.