Business Briefings
FG to Launch National Single Window Trade Platform, March 27
The Federal Government is set to launch Nigeria’s long-awaited National Single Window platform on March 27 as part of efforts to modernise the country’s trade processes and improve efficiency across import and export activities.
The National Single Window system is designed to simplify trade procedures by providing a centralised digital portal through which importers and exporters can process documentation and regulatory requirements.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, described the initiative as a “monumental” reform that would transform Nigeria’s trade ecosystem and significantly improve efficiency in cargo clearance and documentation.
Gbajabiamila said the project, which was first launched by President Bola Tinubu nearly two years ago, represents a far-reaching fiscal reform aimed at simplifying trade procedures and boosting the country’s competitiveness in global commerce.
“We are about to launch yet another reform by this administration — a fiscal reform that will be very transformational in nature,” he said.
“As the name suggests, it is a single national window as opposed to multiple windows. This meeting is to review the progress we have made and secure the commitment of all stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition.”
Read Also:
- CBN authorises weekly $150,000 FX sales to BDCs
- CBN to Auction N1.05 Trillion Treasury Bills in March
He explained that the concept of a national single window is to replace the fragmented system of multiple trade platforms with a unified gateway that allows businesses to interact with various government agencies through a single digital interface.
Gbajabiamila also commended the efforts of institutions involved in developing the project, including financial and regulatory agencies that have supported the implementation process.
The Federal Government inaugurated the committee responsible for the project in April 2024 with a directive that the platform should be fully operational within the first quarter of 2026.
The system forms part of a broader economic agenda aimed at strengthening trade facilitation and supporting the country’s ambition of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.
Through the platform, trade-related agencies will be integrated into a single portal, enabling faster processing of permits and improved coordination among regulatory institutions.
The initiative is expected to reduce port congestion, eliminate bureaucratic delays and improve transparency in trade operations. By digitising documentation and reducing human intervention, authorities expect the system to lower the cost of doing business and make Nigeria a more attractive destination for investment.
Earlier, the NSW Coordinator, Tola Fakolade, urged government agencies to intensify collaboration in the final 23 days before the platform goes live.
According to him, the first phase of the system will enable online processing of import permits, electronic submission of cargo manifests, and the deployment of a centralised risk management system to enhance cargo clearance efficiency.
Fakolade disclosed that nationwide training for users is ongoing, while pilot testing of the platform will begin shortly to ensure a seamless rollout.
He explained that under the system, cargo manifests would be submitted electronically and automatically transmitted to all relevant agencies without human intervention.
“The support we need from each agency is even more critical now. Documents will be submitted once and shared with all relevant agencies without duplication,” he said.
Also speaking, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to the project.
“This is a growth-enhancing and growth-enabling project. Whatever is required of the Ministry of Finance, we will definitely do,” he said.
Similarly, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, described the platform as a critical pillar of the administration’s economic reform agenda, noting that the initiative was long overdue.
She pledged active collaboration with agencies over the next three weeks to sensitise traders, importers and exporters ahead of the launch.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, also pledged the bank’s full support, stressing the need to close Nigeria’s trade facilitation gap with competing economies.
In the same vein, the Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, called for stronger inter-agency coordination and political will to ensure the project’s success. He proposed that the Minister of Trade lead the final 23-day implementation phase.
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, described the initiative as a historic milestone for Nigeria’s trade and customs administration.
At the end of the meeting, stakeholders mandated the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment to lead the final implementation phase to ensure a smooth rollout on March 27.
Other agencies represented at the meeting included 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.
The National Single Window system is expected to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, curb delays at ports, and lower the cost of doing business by enabling traders to submit documentation through a single digital portal accessible to all regulatory agencies.
If successfully implemented, the platform could significantly improve Nigeria’s trade facilitation framework and strengthen its position in regional and global supply chains.
