The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) is spearheading efforts to enhance efficiency in the maritime sector by supporting the National Single Window (NSW) initiative.
This commitment was highlighted by the Executive Secretary of the Council, Barr. Pius Akutah during a working visit from the Steering Committee of the NSW to the Council’s headquarters last week.
Shipping Position Daily recalls that President Bola Tinubu recently inaugurated the National Steering Committee to ensure the successful implementation of the National Single Window in the country.
Addressing the visitors, Barr. Akutah emphasized the importance of automation in streamlining processes within various agencies involved in the NSW project.
The Executive Secretary expressed optimism about the benefits the implementation of the National Single Window would bring to both the NSC and the port industry. He highlighted the Federal Government’s commitment to diversifying the economy, particularly focusing on the non-oil sector, and identified the NSW as a crucial structure in achieving the aspirations of the Marine and Blue Economy ministry.
Barr. Akutah also informed the visiting team that the council is planning to transition to a paperless system to enhance operational activities. He disclosed that the NSC is awaiting the passage of a new bill to optimize its regulatory functions. Once the law is passed, he assured that the NSC would work tirelessly to transform the sector into a regional maritime hub characterized by efficiency and effective service delivery.
He stressed the importance of addressing inter-agency rivalry and promoting peaceful coexistence in maritime operations.
“Automation is one of the key elements we have to pursue as agencies and ensure we automate our processes as quickly as possible,” Akutah noted.
Speaking earlier, Mr. Tola Fakolade, Head of the Project Secretariat for the National Single Window Steering Committee, urged stakeholders and agencies to support the federal government’s aspirations of operationalizing the NSW project in Nigeria. He emphasized that the NSC’s involvement is crucial to the project’s success.
During his presentation, Mr. Fakolade outlined the benefits of the NSW project, including enhancing government revenue, increasing foreign investment, boosting trade volumes, and improving automation processes.
