Customs, NSW launch digital maritime manifest regime to fast-track cargo clearance, boost trade
Maureen Aguta
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the National Single Window (NSW) Secretariat have commenced the electronic maritime manifest submission phase of the National Single Window project, marking another milestone in Nigeria’s drive to modernise cargo clearance, strengthen trade facilitation and improve port efficiency.
The rollout was flagged off during a stakeholders’ sensitisation programme held at the Apapa Area Command on Tuesday, bringing together Customs officers, shipping companies, terminal operators and other maritime stakeholders to prepare for the next phase of the digital trade platform.
Speaking at the event, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of ICT/Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, said the sensitisation builds on extensive stakeholder engagements conducted before and after the successful launch of Phase One of the National Single Window on March 27, 2026.
She described the platform as a globally recognised trade facilitation tool that is already enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness in international commerce.
“Since the introduction of the National Single Window, the country as a whole—not just the Nigeria Customs Service—has begun to experience its benefits. Nigeria’s standing in international trade is improving, and the Service remains fully committed to supporting the successful implementation of this initiative,” she said.
According to Adebakin, the electronic submission of maritime manifests is designed to simplify cargo documentation without changing the statutory responsibilities of the Customs Service.
She explained that the initiative would improve transparency, accelerate cargo processing, generate more reliable trade data, enhance risk management and strengthen anti-smuggling operations.
“It is simply a more efficient and transparent method of submitting the same documents,” she added.
Also speaking, the Zonal Coordinator of Customs Zone ‘A’, Assistant Comptroller-General Mohammed Babandede, said continuous consultation with industry stakeholders has remained a key feature of the Service’s reform agenda.
He noted that the sea manifest is critical to cargo declaration, risk assessment and customs processing, urging shipping companies to ensure timely and compliant submissions to support faster cargo clearance and more effective risk profiling.
National Coordinator of the National Single Window Project, Tola Fakolade, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for its sustained commitment to the implementation of the platform.
He disclosed that the project has already recorded significant milestones, including the issuance of more than 100,000 licences and permits and the registration of over 1,000 users, underscoring the growing acceptance of the digital trade platform.
In his remarks, the Customs Area Controller of Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, praised stakeholders for their active participation and called for sustained collaboration among shipping companies, terminal operators and other port users.
He said stronger cooperation between the private sector, Customs and the NSW Secretariat would further accelerate trade facilitation, improve regulatory compliance, deepen transparency and reinforce Nigeria’s position as a competitive destination for global trade.