FG targets faster ports, lower costs as National Single Window nears March 27 take-off
Maureen Aguta
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the March 27, 2026 go-live date for Nigeria’s long-awaited National Single Window (NSW), promising a major overhaul of the country’s import and export processes, tighter scrutiny of high-risk cargoes and faster clearance for compliant traders.
Director of the National Single Window Project, Mr. Tola Fakolade, gave the assurance on Monday in Lagos during an interactive session with members of the Maritime Correspondents Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON), where he provided detailed updates on system testing, user training, institutional readiness and the long-term impact of the platform on port efficiency and trade competitiveness.
Fakolade said the NSW represents a clear departure from earlier fragmented trade platforms deployed over the past 15 to 20 years, many of which failed to fully integrate government agencies or simplify procedures for users.
“People will no longer need to log in to different systems or interface separately with multiple MDAs,” he said. “Under the Single Window, importers, exporters, licensed customs agents and freight forwarders will log in once. The platform will automatically exchange the required data with relevant agencies in the background.”
According to him, the system is built around advanced risk management tools that rely on historical data to profile consignments using parameters such as country of origin, product category and the importer’s compliance record. High-risk cargoes will be flagged for deeper checks, while compliant traders will enjoy expedited ‘green lane’ processing.
Fakolade noted that Nigeria’s current trade environment does little to reward compliance or deter habitual offenders, a gap the NSW is designed to close.
“At the moment, only the Nigeria Customs Service operates a relatively robust risk management system,” he said. “Many other regulatory agencies still depend on manual or semi-manual processes, which results in blanket inspections, delays and higher costs for everyone.”
He criticised the repeated submission of identical data and documents to different agencies, pointing out that companies are often required to re-enter the same information — company profiles, product descriptions, country of origin — when applying for approvals from multiple regulators. Shipping lines, he added, still submit manifests to several agencies and are sometimes asked to provide physical copies even after electronic submission.
“These practices slow down cargo processing and increase administrative burden without adding real value,” Fakolade said.
A major feature of the NSW, he explained, is end-to-end visibility. Traders and agents will be able to track consignments, permits and approvals in real time, making it clear where delays occur and which agency is responsible.
“Today, it is difficult for an importer to know exactly where a consignment is stuck,” he said. “One agency blames another, and the trader is left in the dark, incurring demurrage and other avoidable costs. The Single Window will eliminate that opacity.”
Fakolade acknowledged challenges, particularly uneven levels of digital readiness across MDAs. While agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) are fully automated and ready for integration, others are still transitioning from manual systems. He said targeted technical support and accelerated automation programmes are underway to ensure full participation before the rollout date.
He also linked port inefficiencies to cargo diversion to neighbouring countries, noting that some importers route Nigeria-bound cargo through other West African ports and truck them in by land because clearance there is faster.
“Paradoxically, it can be quicker to clear cargo outside Nigeria and bring it in than to move cargo already at Nigerian ports,” he said, adding that the NSW aims to bring cargo clearance costs at least to parity with neighbouring countries and restore investor confidence.
To meet the March 27 deadline, Fakolade disclosed that the NSW team has completed multiple rounds of end-to-end system testing, including stress tests and live simulations with selected traders and agencies. Nationwide stakeholder training sessions, agency-specific onboarding, and dry-run exercises at major ports are ongoing.
The project team has also concluded legal and regulatory harmonisation to align agency procedures with the Single Window framework.
In addition, dedicated user support centres are being established at key ports, starting with Apapa, to address connectivity challenges. These centres will serve as transaction hubs equipped with reliable internet from multiple providers, ensuring uninterrupted access for agents and traders.
Fakolade expressed confidence that, with sustained inter-agency cooperation, the National Single Window will mark a turning point for Nigeria’s trade facilitation agenda.