The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing business costs and boosting efficiency at Nigeria’s ports through the National Single Window (NSW) initiative, a digital platform designed to streamline trade processes, enhance transparency, and speed up cargo clearance.

Director of the National Single Window Project and Head of Secretariat, Mr. Tola Fakolade, disclosed this at the National Single Window Stakeholders’ Forum held in Lagos.

He said the reform demonstrates President Bola Tinubu’s determination to build a competitive, technology-driven trade environment.

According to Fakolade, the NSW will connect all government agencies involved in import and export procedures on a single online system, eliminating duplicate documentation and reducing physical interactions that often encourage inefficiency and corruption.

“It is the President’s desire to see importers and exporters carry out their businesses seamlessly,” he said.

“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,” the Director added.

He noted that after more than a year of assessments and requirements analysis, the project has entered its crucial development and integration phase, with an operational target set for the first quarter of 2026.

The forum, jointly organised by the National Single Window Secretariat and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), brought together stakeholders from trade, logistics, maritime, aviation, and regulatory sectors to review progress and strengthen collaboration ahead of deployment.

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 added that integrating the NSW with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework would open new opportunities for Nigerian exporters by reducing trade costs, improving supply chain visibility, and boosting 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 the project, while acknowledging challenges such as multiple cargo inspections, non-harmonised documentation, and infrastructure gaps. They assured participants that inter-agency coordination was ongoing to ensure a smooth transition. (Daily Trust)