Customs don call for teamwork to make National Single Window Project work well
Maureen Aguta
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) don call on all di people wey get hand for import and export matter to join body make dem fit make di National Single Window (NSW) project succeed. Di project go make import and export work for Nigeria easier by putting everything for one digital platform.
Di call come from Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG) Mohammed Babandede, wey be Zonal Coordinator for Zone A, when him dey talk for di National Single Window Stakeholders’ Engagement Forum wey happen for Lagos.
Di event na joint work between di National Single Window Project Secretariat and di Nigeria Customs Service, and e gather people from different government agencies, traders, importers, exporters, and trade associations.
For him opening talk, ACG Babandede yarn say di success of di project no go rest for government hand alone — everybody wey dey inside trade sector must join hand.
“Dis project no be government work alone. All of us wey dey here suppose play our part. We need open mind to change, ready to try new way of doing things, and patience because every big change dey come with small wahala,” Babandede talk.
Him come add say if Nigeria ports work faster and better, e go make manufacturers and traders fit plan well and compete with other countries.
“As we dey make our ports more efficient, e go make us more competitive. Manufacturers go fit predict wetin go happen and plan ahead,” he talk.
Di Director of di National Single Window Project and Head of Secretariat, Tola Fakolade, talk say di forum important because di first phase of di project don near launch time.
“As we dey get close to di first phase launch, e important make all di key stakeholders understand wetin we dey do and how e go affect their work,” Fakolade explain.
For him keynote address, di Registrar and CEO of di Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Kingsley Igwe, talk say di project go help Nigeria play better role inside di African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Di National Single Window go make Nigeria trade system align with global and African best practice. E go help reduce cost and make free trade agreement fit connect with Customs B’Odogwu platform for better duty payment and classification,” Igwe talk.
Di forum still feature panel discussion on how to compare with global standards, improve cooperation between trade players, and a Q&A session wey make participants talk directly with project leaders.
Di National Single Window platform go allow importers and exporters submit all their documents for one place online, connect all di relevant government agencies, and cut down delays for port clearance.
Di first phase of di project go launch by March 2026, while di second and third phase go finish before di year end.