NIGERIA: Customs Urges Stakeholders’ Collaboration For Success Of National Single Window Project

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has called for collective commitment from all stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the National Single Window (NSW) project, a flagship digital platform designed to simplify Nigeria’s import and export processes.

Speaking at the National Single Window Stakeholders’ Engagement Forum held in Lagos, the Zonal Coordinator for Zone A, Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG) Mohammed Babandede, emphasized that the project’s success depends on active collaboration among all actors in the trade ecosystem.

The event, jointly organised by the National Single Window Project Secretariat and the Nigeria Customs Service, brought together participants from various government agencies, the import and export sectors, and trade associations.

“The success of this project does not rest on the shoulders of the government alone. It requires all of us in this room to play our part. It requires openness to change, willingness to adopt new ways of working, and patience as we navigate the inevitable challenges that come with any major transformation,” Babandede said.

He stressed that the efficiency of the nation’s ports remains crucial to enhancing Nigeria’s trade competitiveness and predictability for manufacturers and traders.

“You will agree with me, the more we make our ports efficient, the more it will be competitive. And so also manufacturers and stakeholders will be able to predict what will be the outcome,” he added.

The Director of the National Single Window Project and Head of Secretariat, Tola Fakolade, said the engagement was crucial as the project moves closer to its first-phase launch.

“As we are getting close to the launch of the first phase of this project, this is very important to ensure that all our key stakeholders really understand the scope of what we are doing and how this project is going to impact what they do,” she said.

In his keynote address, Registrar and CEO of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Kingsley Igwe, described the National Single Window as a vital instrument for Nigeria’s full participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He noted that the platform aligns Nigeria’s trade processes with continental and global best practices.

“These practices include reducing costs and integrating free trade agreements into the National Single Window system through the B’Odogwu platform of the Nigeria Customs Service to enhance effective classification and duty payments,” Igwe said.

The forum also featured a panel discussion on global benchmarking, coordination, and cooperation among trade actors, as well as an interactive session that allowed participants to engage directly with project leaders.

The National Single Window platform is designed to enable importers and exporters to submit all required trade documents through a single digital portal, connecting all relevant government agencies and significantly reducing bottlenecks in cargo clearance.

According to the project timeline, the first phase of the National Single Window is expected to be launched in March 2026, while the second and third phases are projected for completion before the end of 2026.