National Single Window to deploy Multi-ISP support centres at ports

…targets cost parity to reverse cargo diversion

The National Single Window (NSW) project will, from March 27, 2026, roll out support centres equipped with multiple internet service providers across major ports in the country as part of efforts to cut clearance costs and reverse the diversion of Nigeria-bound cargo to neighbouring countries.

The Director of the National Single Window Project, Tola Fakolade, disclosed this on Tuesday during a stakeholder engagement with members of the Maritime Correspondence Association of Nigeria (MARCON) in Lagos.

Fakolade said the NSW platform is designed to achieve cost parity with Nigeria’s West African competitors by drastically reducing physical cargo examinations from about 90 per cent to 10 per cent, while targeting a 24-hour clearance window for compliant traders.

He explained that high import costs and delays have encouraged importers to route Nigeria-bound goods through ports in Cotonou, Douala, and Accra, where clearance is faster and cheaper, before smuggling the cargo into Nigeria by road.

“What will bring those cargoes back is a reduction of import costs,” Fakolade said, noting that the practice has led to significant revenue losses for Nigeria, as import-related payments are made to other countries for goods ultimately meant for the Nigerian market.

He added that beyond the financial impact, the diversion of cargo also undermines Nigeria’s reputation as a competitive maritime hub, stressing that the NSW initiative is aimed at restoring confidence in the country’s ports through efficiency, transparency, and reduced transaction costs.

“Because of a lot of the inefficiencies still in our ports today, you see a lot of importers who have goods that are destined for Nigeria, but they will ship those goods to Cotonou. They will clear them there faster. They will bring them through the land border. And with that process, it still gets to the country faster and cheaper than if they are shipped directly to Apapa,” Fakolade observed.

The NSW director disclosed that the first support centre will be operational at Apapa Port by the March 27 go-live date, providing freight forwarders and licensed customs agents with reliable connectivity and technical assistance.

“In addition to normal help desk support, a support centre will also be a centre where you actually come. It’s almost like a cyber cafe, but only to come and do your transaction,” Fakolade explained, noting that multiple internet providers will ensure uninterrupted service.

He outlined specific inefficiencies targeted for elimination, including physical movement between agencies, duplicate document submissions, and redundant data entry across multiple platforms. He said the NSW will provide a single interface for traders and their agents, data harmonisation, transparency, e-payment, and centralised risk management.

The director emphasised that the government’s focus extends beyond immediate revenue to long-term strategic positioning as an attractive investment destination.

“Government is not just looking at revenue increase. It’s a very long-term outlook,” Fakolade said. “If there’s full transparency in our import and export processes, and if we can reduce the costs, what that does is it actually helps the reputation of Nigeria as a destination to do business.”

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Fakolade disclosed that end-user training will commence next week, prioritising licensed customs agents and freight forwarders, while the project team finalises fixes from the second round of user acceptance testing.

The March 27 launch, he said, will deploy Phase 1 covering import permits from SON, NAFDAC, Quarantine services, and NESREA, along with air and sea cargo manifest submissions and centralised risk management across regulatory agencies.

The NSW director revealed that the project has engaged cybersecurity specialist firms for penetration testing and continuous monitoring, while working with the National Information Security Adviser (NISA) and Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to ensure regulatory compliance.

“We’ve engaged cybersecurity specialist firms to actually test the system, the process of penetration testing, understand some of the weaknesses of the system, and classify those areas,” Fakolade stated.

He disclosed that the NSW is collaborating with the Nigeria Customs Service on scanner deployment to enable less intrusive cargo inspections and faster processing.

“We are working with them to ensure that they can deploy those scanners at the ports so that we can take advantage of the technology of scanners for our shipments. And hopefully, that will help to lessen this kind of disruption on the ports,” Fakolade said.

He attributed the project’s prospects for success to collective ownership across government agencies, citing five previous failed attempts at implementing a single window in Nigeria.

“One thing that we realised would make this work that may have been responsible for the reason why it didn’t work in the past, is that it has to be collectively owned,” he explained, noting that all participating agencies have delivery of the NSW listed as key performance indicators.

Fakolade commended the maritime media for voluntarily promoting and educating stakeholders about the platform. He announced plans for weekly media engagements across multiple platforms to drive sensitisation and adoption.

He stressed the media’s critical role in successful platform adoption, calling for continued collaboration to ensure accurate information reaches the trading community through open communication channels.

He disclosed plans for weekly media engagements across journals, radio, and television to drive sensitisation and platform adoption ahead of the go-live date.

“It’s about sensitisation. Ultimately, by the time we go live, it’s more about adoption. But it’s impossible without the media,” he stated.

Phase 2, scheduled three to six months after the initial launch, the NSW director said, will cover remaining import permits and export processes, while Phase 3 will address customs declarations and oil and gas sector integration.

He noted that the platform’s data harmonisation feature will eliminate duplicate data entry, automatically populating information across multiple agency applications once entered, while risk management algorithms will profile consignments based on country of origin, product type, and importer compliance history.

The National Single Window project, inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu on April 16, 2024, represents the first implementation of a proper single window platform in Nigeria aligned with international standards set by UNCTAD, WCO, and WTO. Upon full implementation, it is projected to facilitate an estimated $2 billion in annual trade value.

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With five weeks to deployment, the NSW team is completing final preparations for what stakeholders describe as a transformative intervention in the country’s trade facilitation landscape.