Nigeria to launch National Single Window on March 27

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

Nigeria is set to unveil its National Single Window (NSW) platform on March 27, a game-changing digital system aimed at slashing red tape in trade and boosting the nation’s global competitiveness, it was announced on Thursday in a statement issued by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

The landmark initiative, first championed by President Bola Tinubu nearly two years ago, received strong backing at a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in the State House, Abuja, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Attendees included ministers and agency heads from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), as well as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Gbajabiamila hailed the NSW as a “monumental” fiscal reform during the session. “We are about to launch yet another reform, fiscal reform by this administration, which in its nature will be very transformational,” he said. “As the name suggests, it is a single national window as opposed to multiple single windows. This meeting is to review the progress we have made and get your commitment that we will manage this transition smoothly.”

Gbajabiamila praised the “dedication and professionalism” of key players, including the CBN, NRS and NCS, urging seamless collaboration in the final countdown.

NSW Coordinator, Tola Fakolade, outlined the rollout details, emphasising the first phase’s focus on online import permits, electronic cargo manifests and a centralised risk management system.

“The support that we need from each of the agencies is even more critical now. Documents will be submitted once and shared with all relevant agencies without duplication,” Fakolade stressed. He noted ongoing nationwide user training and imminent pilot testing, with cargo manifests set to transmit automatically across agencies “without human intervention.”

Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Finance Minister, Wale Edun, vowed full ministry backing. “This is a growth-enhancing and growth-enabling project. What is required of the Ministry of Finance, we will definitely do,” Edun affirmed.

Industry, Trade and Investment Minister, Jumoke Oduwole, called it a “critical pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” adding that it was “long overdue.” She pledged active collaboration over the next three weeks to educate traders, importers and exporters.

CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, highlighted the need to bridge Nigeria’s trade facilitation gaps, while NRS Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, pushed for robust coordination. “We need stronger coordination and political will,” Adedeji said, proposing that the trade minister lead the 23-day sprint to launch.

Customs Comptroller-General, Bashir Adeniyi, labelled it a “historic milestone”, committing to stakeholder engagement for success.

At the meeting’s close, Oduwole was tasked with spearheading the implementation phase to ensure a hitch-free debut on March 27.