By Oluyinka Onigbinde
Key stakeholders in Nigeria’s trade facilitation ecosystem, including the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the National Revenue Service (NRS), and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), have expressed optimism over the rollout of the National Single Window (NSW) initiative, describing it as a transformative reform despite initial operational challenges.
This position emerged during a high-level visit to the National Single Window office in Lagos, where top government officials converged to assess progress, identify bottlenecks, and chart the way forward barely weeks after the platform’s launch.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the initiative as a game-changer for Nigeria’s trade environment, noting that the system is already operational and delivering measurable impact.
“The National Single Window is here to stay. It will revolutionize the trading environment for good, enhance trade facilitation, and improve Nigeria’s competitiveness,” Adeniyi said.
He explained that the visit by key stakeholders was aimed at reviewing implementation progress and addressing early-stage challenges inherent in large-scale digital reforms.
According to him, periodic backend engagements have been ongoing to monitor system performance and resolve issues such as manifest upload delays and integration hiccups with shipping companies.
“We expected some glitches at this stage. This is not unusual with projects of this magnitude. What is important is that we are confronting these challenges collectively and making steady progress,” he stated.
Adeniyi drew parallels with previous Customs reforms, particularly the rollout of the B’Odogwu platform, noting that initial resistance and technical issues were eventually overcome through persistence and stakeholder collaboration.
On concerns by traders regarding financial losses arising from system delays, the Customs boss urged patience, emphasizing that such transitional challenges are temporary.
“When you are mining gold, you must be prepared to invest time, resources, and patience. We are already seeing improvements and will resolve these issues faster, drawing from past experience,” he assured.
Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of the NRS, Zaccheus Adedeji, attributed the successful launch of the NSW to strong political will and improved stakeholder coordination, factors he said were missing in previous attempts.
“We have tried this several times before without success. What is different now is the political leadership and commitment from all stakeholders. That is why we are seeing results,” Adedeji said.
He acknowledged the existence of teething problems but maintained that the new system significantly reduces bureaucratic bottlenecks by consolidating multiple processes into a single platform.
“Instead of submitting documents in 10 or 15 places, everything is now done in one place. Even with delays, it is still far more efficient than the old system,” he noted.
Adedeji also commended stakeholders for embracing the platform, stressing that widespread adoption remains critical to its long-term success.
From the perspective of ease of doing business, PEBEC’s representative, Zahrah Mustapha Audu, described the initiative as a major step forward in modernizing Nigeria’s trade processes.
“Anything that simplifies processes for importers, exporters, and agents is a win for us. Technology adoption is not optional; it is necessary if Nigeria must remain competitive globally,” she said.
Audu expressed confidence that the NSW could drastically reduce cargo dwell time at Nigerian ports—from the current average to as low as three to four days—if fully implemented with strong inter-agency collaboration.
She also highlighted ongoing complementary reforms, including joint inspection frameworks led by Customs and capacity-building initiatives across agencies, aimed at strengthening port efficiency.
Despite the positive outlook, stakeholders raised concerns over operational challenges, particularly delays linked to regulatory agencies such as National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
The National Coordinator of the 100 Percent Compliance Team of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Ibrahim Tanko, revealed that over 10,000 containers were reportedly affected by delays, citing system access issues and inter-agency bottlenecks.
He also raised concerns over mounting demurrage costs, alleging that terminal operators and shipping companies were benefiting from the situation.
Responding, Adedeji assured stakeholders of immediate intervention, pledging to engage relevant agencies and terminal operators to ease the burden on importers.
“We will work closely with NAFDAC and SON to resolve these issues and facilitate cargo clearance. This is a special period, and we will also engage terminal operators to consider waiving demurrage charges,” he said.
In his closing remarks, Adeniyi emphasized that the success of the National Single Window depends not only on government efforts but also on stakeholder compliance and collaboration.
He reiterated that the reform aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of creating a more efficient and competitive trade environment, reducing port congestion, and boosting economic growth.
With early gains already recorded and challenges being actively addressed, stakeholders expressed confidence that the National Single Window will ultimately redefine Nigeria’s trade ecosystem and position the country as a leading hub for commerce in the sub-region.
