National Single Window goes live next month to enhance trade

Nigeria is preparing a decisive intervention to halt the steady diversion of its cargo to neighbouring ports as the Federal Government confirms March 27, 2026, as the operational start date for the National Single Window, a digital trade platform designed to cut cargo clearance time to 24 hours for compliant importers.

More than a technology rollout, the initiative is being positioned as an economic recovery tool for the country’s ports, aimed at reversing years of lost revenue caused by shippers routing Nigerian-bound cargo through Benin Republic, Ghana and Cameroon due to delays and high transaction costs at local ports.

Director of the National Single Window Project, Tola Fakolade, disclosed the timeline yesterday during an engagement with maritime journalists in Lagos, describing the project as Nigeria’s first internationally compliant single trade platform.

 “This is not just another government portal. It is Nigeria’s first true single window, built to global standards, and it is meant to fundamentally change how cargo moves through our ports,” Fakolade.

Industry data has long shown that Nigerian importers increasingly route cargo through Cotonou Port for faster clearance before moving goods into Nigeria by road. Fakolade said this trend has quietly drained port-related payments and weakened the country’s position as the natural maritime hub of the sub-region.

 “When Nigerian cargo is cleared in another country, all the associated payments go there. That is revenue and confidence Nigeria is losing, and the single window is designed to address that problem head-on,” be noted.

Under the new system, importers and their agents will submit all trade documents through a single online platform instead of dealing separately with multiple government agencies. The backend integration will link agencies responsible for standards, food and drug regulation, customs control and environmental compliance, while users interact with just one interface.

How the first phase will change port operations

The March 27 go-live marks Phase One of a three-stage rollout planned over 12 months. According to Fakolade, the first phase will cover all major pre-arrival import permits, air and sea cargo manifests submitted by shipping lines and airlines, and a centralised risk management process shared by regulatory agencies.

 “This is where the efficiency starts. Most import permits will now come through one platform, and cargo information will be assessed centrally instead of in silos,” he explained.

Cargo manifests under the system will apply strictly to goods, not passenger movements, ensuring the platform remains focused on trade facilitation.

Phase Two, expected within three to six months, he said, will extend the platform to cover remaining import permits and all export processes, while Phase Three will integrate customs declarations and oil and gas trade documentation.

Fakolade confirmed that two rounds of system testing have been completed, with a final limited test scheduled before the March deadline. He said user training would begin next week, starting with licensed customs agents and freight forwarders who handle the bulk of port documentation.

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To address operational realities around ports, the project is also establishing dedicated support centres beginning with Apapa, the country’s busiest port corridor.

 “These centres will allow agents to process transactions in an environment with stable internet and technical support,” Fakolade said. “Multiple internet providers will be installed so that connectivity does not become a bottleneck.”

The Apapa centre is expected to be fully operational on the go-live date, with additional locations planned for other sea ports and air cargo terminals over the next year.

Representatives of the Maritime Correspondents Association of Nigeria (MARCON) welcomed the progress, noting that previous single window attempts failed largely due to poor coordination among agencies.

Speaking for the association, its President, Ismail Aniemu said the current effort addresses a long-standing national embarrassment. “Nigeria should not be losing its own cargo to neighbouring ports. If efficiency improves, traffic will naturally return,” he said.

The association also confirmed that system testing has been largely successful, reinforcing confidence ahead of the March rollout.

Fakolade stressed that while faster clearance is the headline goal, transparency and cost reduction are equally important outcomes. Under the new system, data entered once will automatically populate across all relevant applications, eliminating repetitive submissions that currently inflate processing time and costs.

 “The idea is simple. If you have already provided your company and cargo details once, you should not be asked to submit the same information again and again,” he said.

The platform, he said, will also introduce performance tracking for agencies, with built-in timelines for processing applications. Delays beyond agreed limits will be flagged automatically, allowing bottlenecks to be identified and resolved.

Addressing concerns around data protection, Fakolade said the project has undergone extensive security testing and complies with national data protection regulations. He added that continuous monitoring systems are in place to detect and address cyber threats.

The system’s risk management tools, he highlighted, will also use historical trade data to profile shipments, enabling compliant importers to enjoy faster clearance while higher-risk cargo undergoes additional checks.

 “This is how you reward compliance. Those who play by the rules move faster through the system,” he noted.

The National Single Window was inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu in April 2024, after several failed attempts by previous administrations. Fakolade said a key lesson from the past was the need for collective ownership. “This project does not belong to one agency. All participating institutions are part of it, and delivery is a shared responsibility,” he said.

He added that representatives of all agencies involved in Phase One have been embedded in the project team and have participated in system testing.

Unlike past government technology launches, March 27 will not feature a ceremonial event. Fakolade said the focus is on functionality and user support rather than publicity.

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 “This is a go-live date, not a celebration. Our priority is that the system works and that users are supported from day one,” Fakolade stated.