National Single Window platform to lower business costs, boost operational efficiency at Nigeria’s ports
The National Single Window (NSW) initiative, a major reform aimed at streamlining trade processes, improving transparency, and speeding up cargo clearance will lower business costs and boost operational efficiency at Nigeria’s ports.
Tola Fakolade, Director of the National Single Window Project and Head of Secretariat made this known at the National Single Window Stakeholders’ Forum held Thursday in Lagos.
Participants included representatives from the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), and the Truckers Association of Nigeria, among others.
Fakolade said at the forum that the initiative demonstrates President Bola Tinubu’s determination to build a competitive, technology-driven trade environment.
The NSW, according to Fakolade, will function as a digital platform connecting all government agencies involved in import and export procedures on a single online system, removing duplicate documentation and minimising physical interactions that often fuel inefficiency and corruption.
“It is the President’s desire to see importers and exporters carry out their businesses seamlessly,” Fakolade stated. “The era of diverting consignments and investments to neighbouring ports due to inefficiencies and high costs will soon be over. This initiative will simplify and harmonise trade processes while cutting transaction time and cost.”
He disclosed that the project has entered its crucial development and integration phase after more than a year of assessments and requirements analysis, with an operational target set for Q1 2026.
“Achieving seamless integration at this stage is essential. We are ensuring that all technical and institutional frameworks are aligned to deliver on schedule,” he added.
Read also: Nigeria to launch national single window to boost international trading in Q1 2026
The forum, jointly organised by the National Single Window Secretariat and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), convened stakeholders from trade, logistics, maritime, aviation, and regulatory sectors to assess project progress and strengthen collaboration ahead of deployment.
Fakolade further disclosed that integrating the NSW with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework would create new opportunities for Nigerian exporters by reducing trade costs, enhancing supply chain visibility, and improving regional competitiveness.
“A fully functional National Single Window will give Nigerian businesses a cost advantage and increase their participation in intra-African trade,” he said.
Panelists at the forum shared perspectives on their agencies’ roles in supporting implementation, while acknowledging persistent challenges such as multiple cargo inspections, non-harmonised documentation, and infrastructure constraints. They assured participants that ongoing inter-agency coordination would ensure a smooth transition to the new system.
The session featured open discussions on timelines, integration readiness, and stakeholder responsibilities, with government officials assuring that measures were being implemented to guarantee the sustainability of reforms.
The organisers said the forum was designed to foster collaboration, alignment, and ownership among trade facilitation stakeholders, while providing updates on project milestones, hosting a stakeholder town hall to address questions and gather feedback, and announcing the expected launch timeline and pre-implementation readiness plans.
Participants expressed optimism that once operational, the NSW would drastically reduce clearance time, cut logistics costs, and make Nigeria’s ports globally competitive.
“This project is a game-changer for Nigeria’s trade ecosystem,” Fakolade declared. “When fully implemented, it will deliver measurable benefits to businesses, government revenue, and the wider economy.”
Analysts believe the National Single Window initiative, has long been recognised as a critical enabler for Nigeria’s trade modernisation and port reform agenda.
By connecting all trade-related agencies and stakeholders on one platform, it promises to transform Nigeria into a more efficient, transparent, and investor-friendly trade hub in West Africa.
