Recent developments within the nation’s maritime industry tend to indicate that the Federal Government is devoting more attention to the National Single Window. It also appears that government’s interest in the equally important International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) has waned.
By its simple design, a ‘Single Window’ platform links individual seaports and all supply chain actors in a loop offering firsthand information on cargoes. This unique platform automates data and knowledge real-time sharing and allows better interaction management within the network.
The proposed National Single Window Trade Portal for Nigeria, is a cross-government website that is expected to open a new era for trade facilitation by offering a single portal for trade actors, both Nigerian and international, to access a full range of resources and standardized services from different Nigerian government agencies.
It is akin to an open electronic platform that connects individual existing systems and databases of distinct companies and organizations. It enables a secure and intelligent operational data exchange and consolidation within the port network.
Clearly, the port community involves public and private sector players. In this divide are users of port services, namely: shipping lines, shipping agents, freight forwarders and other logistics specialists, other transport services providers and their respective teams, inland terminal operators, warehouses managers, shippers, and cargo owners, all of who operate in the long chain. These players send information on cargo destined for the ports; in this case Nigerian ports.
The Single Window also entails that shipping lines’ e-booking of containers or space for general and bulk cargo, monitoring of physical movements of containers or goods, e-manifest data submission, release of carrier Delivery Order and tracking of cargo status for importers or check ocean vessel schedules for exporters.
For the agencies operating the port system, the arrangement entails e-settlement of all bills: handling costs, logistics fees, demurrage charges, and seamless release of Terminal Delivery Order.
For many years, Nigerian maritime industry stakeholders had called for National Single Window as a platform for government agencies to interface on matters regarding importation. This request has been granted, going by what the Federal Government has so far done.
To demonstrate its seriousness, government has not only empaneled a high-powered Team to actualize the policy, it has set a take-off date of end of first quarter of 2026. And from what ca be seen, the team is working towards the April 2026 date.
Prior to the emergence of the National Single Window, there have been a more serious push for the International Cargo Tracking Note. But, attention has since shifted to the former.
Yes, not much is heard any longer about the ICTN. The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), which is the promoter of ICTN has given assurances upon assurances that the highly-controversial ICTN, will soon be implemented in Nigeria. In fact, the current CEO of the Council, Mr Pius Ukeyima Akutah had assured that the implementation of ICTN will commence by second quarter of 2025. It would have been very nice to see this happen, buy this is most likely not going to happen; not even this year.
His predecessor in office; Mr Emmanuel Jime had in December 2021, during his first media chat, gave the same assurance that the International Cargo Tracking Note will be re-introduced in a matter of weeks! It never happened.
The International Cargo Tracking Note did not just come up, it is an international contemplation. It was first initiated by the US Department of Homeland Security in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, as a preventive security measure.
The UN Security Council later mandated the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to adopt it as a security framework for enhancing the protection of international shipping and prevention of movement of dangerous cargoes.
According to the IMO, when implemented by countries, the ICTN will allow governments to monitor incoming and outgoing ships through real time generation of advance information on ships involved in international voyages.
Other benefits include accessibility to real time on line central information that makes statistics for decision making possible on a real time basis rather than historical basis; having information on cargo before it is even on the vessel; improvement on the security of port infrastructure, vessels and personnel; certification of ports by the USA and European nations and the Green Status given to port infrastructure, vessel; and accruable value-added benefits to the national economy.
In a nutshell, all the above are inherent benefits of ICTN. However, the body language of the Federal Government and the signs of helplessness on the part of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.
And by 2024 when President Tinubu inaugurated the Team to spearhead the actualization of the Single Window, it became more obvious that the pendulum had swung from ICTN to NSW.
Even though the driver is the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the nation’s economy; Mr Olawale Edun, there is a Team Lead for the NSW, which is Mr Tola Fakolade. Similarly, the committee’s membership is drawn from all relevant agencies of government, whose Chief Executives are equally members of the high- level committee. There are others who also represent institutions relevant to the project.
Further confirming our fears about the ICTN, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy; Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, had also praised the emerging NSW, even projecting that annual $3bn will be accruable to the Federal Government from the policy.
Not hiding his preference for the Single Window, Oyetola had said: “This system is strategically positioned to enhance transparency by reducing redundancies in the trade process, which will allow for the elimination of revenue leakages, an amount estimated to exceed $3bn annually, and address supply chain disruptions that affect over 70 per cent of logistics companies in Nigeria”.
Each time we think of the huge benefits accruable to a port system that is governed by orderliness, transparency and accountability, we think of the much-touted ease of doing business. A unified system of profiling and interconnectivity which the Single Window represents, is the answer
There is no doubt that the Nigerian port system is riddled with unwholesome practices being perpetrated by state and non-state actors, and the only way all these infractions can be eliminated is by adopting a technology-driven system, which will put an end to the empires of corruption that the various stakeholders have built around themselves.
This unwholesome practices are not limited to what happened within the local system, it also extends to such practices from country of origin of goods destined for Nigeria. This is why ICTN NSW and ICTN would come in handy. But the duo may no longer be feasible, especially now that the NSW already has a first quarter 2026 take-off date.
The newspaper had on this page sometime ago, advised that the Nigerian Shippers’ Council should watch out for the issues that truncated previous attempts at introducing the ICTN Such issues include – ambiguity about the cost implication to importers, the agitation that ICTN will add to the already cumbersome process of cargo importation and delivery.
Those who worked towards the apparent abandonment of the ICTN have brought up these issues, which eventually paved the way for the NSW.
However, the ICTN still has its place in the nation’s cargo importation and delivery system. But, this may have been lost on the government which currently thinks that the NSW is the answer to all problems connected with the port system.
There was a time the Nigeria Customs Service, NPA and Shippers’ Council were in competition over the National Single Window; striving to warehouse it. This division and protectionism denied the nation’s economy of the desired benefits and its early take-off.
It is sad that, at the moment cargo importation and clearance procedure in Nigeria is lacking coordination. This is what the NSW will address.
Our prayer is that the first quarter 2026 deadline for its implementation will remain sacrosanct.
