Nigeria will formally launch its long-anticipated National Single Window (NSW) platform on March 27, in what senior government officials have described as a transformative reform aimed at modernising the country’s trade architecture.
The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, announced the date during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting at the State House in Abuja. The session brought together ministers, heads of agencies and key government officials.
Gbajabiamila characterised the initiative as a “monumental” fiscal reform that will streamline trade processes, boost operational efficiency and strengthen Nigeria’s global competitiveness. He noted that the project, first introduced nearly two years ago by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represents a shift from fragmented clearance systems to a unified national platform.
“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 secure inter-agency commitment to a smooth transition.
He commended the professionalism and dedication of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigeria Revenue Service, the Nigeria Customs Service and other participating institutions.
Earlier, National Single Window Coordinator, Tola Fakolade, urged agencies to intensify collaboration in the final 23 days leading to the platform’s “go-live” date. He disclosed that the first phase will cover online processing of import permits, electronic submission of cargo manifests and deployment of a centralised risk management system.
According to him, cargo manifests will be submitted electronically and automatically transmitted to relevant agencies without manual intervention. Documents will be submitted once and shared across agencies, eliminating duplication.
Fakolade added that nationwide user training is ongoing, with pilot testing scheduled ahead of the rollout to ensure operational stability.
The Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment, describing the platform as a growth-enhancing initiative.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, pledged full support, calling the project a critical component of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. She emphasised the need for active sensitisation of traders, importers and exporters in the weeks ahead.
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, said the apex bank would provide full backing, stressing the urgency of closing Nigeria’s trade facilitation gap.
Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, advocated stronger coordination and political will, proposing that the trade ministry lead the final implementation phase to ensure seamless delivery.
Similarly, Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, described the NSW as a historic milestone and pledged robust stakeholder engagement.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment was mandated to oversee the 23-day implementation phase to guarantee a successful launch.
Other agencies represented at the meeting included the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, the Nigerian Ports Authority, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency.
