Nigeria will roll out its long-awaited National Single Window platform on March 27, marking a major step in the Federal Government’s efforts to reform the country’s trade and revenue systems.
The development was disclosed on Wednesday in a statement shared on X by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, following a stakeholders’ meeting at the State House in Abuja.
According to the statement, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, described the initiative as a “monumental” reform that will streamline trade procedures, improve efficiency and boost Nigeria’s competitiveness.
Gbajabiamila said the National Single Window is designed to replace multiple, overlapping clearance processes with a unified digital platform that allows traders to submit documents once for access by all relevant government agencies.
He noted that the meeting was convened to review progress and secure the commitment of key stakeholders ahead of the official launch.
The National Single Window Coordinator, Tola Fakolade, urged agencies to intensify efforts in the remaining weeks before the platform goes live. He explained that the first phase will cover online processing of import permits, electronic submission of cargo manifests and the deployment of a centralised risk management system.
Fakolade added that cargo manifests will be transmitted automatically to relevant agencies without human intervention, reducing duplication and delays. He said nationwide user training is ongoing, with pilot testing scheduled before full deployment.
The Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, described the project as growth-enhancing and assured stakeholders of the ministry’s full support.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, also reaffirmed her ministry’s backing, calling the initiative long overdue and central to the administration’s economic agenda. She pledged active collaboration over the next three weeks to sensitise traders, importers and exporters.
Similarly, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, emphasised the importance of closing Nigeria’s trade facilitation gap, while the Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, stressed the need for strong coordination and political will to ensure seamless delivery.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, described the platform as a historic milestone and promised full collaboration with stakeholders to guarantee its success.
At the end of the meeting, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment was mandated to lead the final implementation phase to ensure a smooth launch on March 27.
Agencies represented at the meeting included the Nigeria Customs Service, 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.
The National Single Window is expected to reduce processing time, improve transparency and enhance Nigeria’s standing in international trade.
