Nigeria is set to launch the long-awaited National Single Window (NSW) platform on March 27 as part of ongoing reforms aimed at transforming the country’s trade and revenue systems.
The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the State House in Abuja with ministers, heads of government agencies and other key officials in attendance.
Gbajabiamila described the initiative, first introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu nearly two years ago, as a major fiscal reform designed to streamline trade processes, improve efficiency and boost Nigeria’s competitiveness in global commerce.
According to him, the National Single Window will replace the current system of multiple trade processing platforms with a unified interface that allows traders to submit documentation once for use by all relevant government agencies.
“This reform is transformational. As the name suggests, it is a single national window as opposed to multiple single windows,” he said, adding that the meeting was convened to review progress and ensure a smooth transition ahead of the official launch.
Coordinator of the NSW project, Tola Fakolade, said the first phase of the platform would enable online processing of import permits, electronic submission of cargo manifests and the deployment of a centralised risk management system to enhance transparency and efficiency.
Fakolade noted that nationwide user training is currently underway, while pilot testing would soon begin to guarantee a seamless rollout of the platform.
He explained that under the new system, cargo manifests would be submitted electronically and automatically transmitted to relevant agencies without human intervention.
“The support from all agencies is critical at this stage. Documents will be submitted once and shared with all relevant agencies without duplication,” he said.
The Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to the project, describing it as a key initiative capable of driving economic growth.
Similarly, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, described the platform as a crucial component of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and pledged to intensify engagement with traders, importers and exporters ahead of the launch.
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, also assured stakeholders of the bank’s full support, stressing the need to close Nigeria’s trade facilitation gap with other economies.
In the same vein, Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, called for stronger coordination among agencies to ensure the successful rollout of the project.
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, described the initiative as a historic milestone that would significantly improve trade facilitation and efficiency in Nigeria’s ports.
At the end of the meeting, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment was mandated to lead the final implementation phase over the next few weeks to ensure a smooth and successful launch of the National Single Window platform on March 27.
Several key government agencies were represented at the meeting, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigerian Ports Authority, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency.
