By Ismail Aniemu
For the first time in her economic history, Nigeria has taken the boldest step to establish a National Single Window with prospect for massive economic turnaround
President Bola Tinubu has set in motion the process of establishing a National Single Window System (NSW) that would achieve the streamlining of trade processes, reducing administrative burdens, cutting costs, and improving transparency by providing a single point of submission of all required documents to multiple government agencies involved in import, export, and transit, leading to faster clearance times and increased trade efficiency
In addition to it’s security advantage,the system aims at simplifying the process for businesses to conduct cross-border trade.
Driving the process is Zach Adedeji, a high flying accountant and Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
A recent 3 day stakeholders meeting held in Lagos, left no one in doubt of the multiple gains of the NSW which is a win-win template for the public and private sector players in the business environment.
The robust and all inclusive engagements which dovetailed into critical private sector, government agencies and service providers syndicate sessions provided more opportunities for questions and answers and setting the tone for continuous interface with stakeholders as the system evolves into full emergence
Nigeria has explored the practicalities of the system using other advanced economies as case studies and has, through the stakeholders meeting,taken a closer look at bespoke single window arrangements in African countries like Kenya and Senegal where they drive the system in line with their peculiarities.
Expected Benefits
Reduced trade costs: By eliminating the need for multiple submissions of trade documents and eliminate the slowness associated with many paperwork.
Faster customs clearance:With a centralized system, customs clearance processes are expedited, leading to quicker goods movement and reduced delays at borders.
Increased transparency:A single window system promotes greater transparency in trade processes by providing access to information for all relevant stakeholders.
Improved ease of doing business:By simplifying trade procedures, a NSW can significantly improve a country’s ranking in ease of doing business indices.
Enhanced risk management:The system enables better risk assessment and targeted controls by customs authorities.
Boost to small and medium enterprises (SMEs):Simplified procedures can make international trade more accessible for smaller businesses.
Improved data quality:With centralized data submission, the accuracy and consistency of trade-related information is enhanced.
Streamlined regulatory compliance:
Businesses can easily access and comply with all necessary regulatory requirements in one place.
Increased government revenue:Efficient trade processes can lead to improved revenue collection through reduced leakages and better compliance.
Adedeji stated that the deployment of the National Single Window will streamline the process, reduce leakages, and maximise revenue generation from import and export activities.
Adedeji, who made this disclosure in Lagos recently during a stakeholders forum on the NSW, also harped on collaboration to ensure the success of the programme.
“The NSW will significantly enhance our revenue collection capabilities. By streamlining processes, reducing leakages, and improving data accuracy, we can maximise revenue generation from import and export activities,” he said.
According to him, these increased revenues will be crucial for funding critical infrastructure projects, improving public services, and driving overall economic development in the country.
Now is the moment for Nigeria to establish itself as a leading trade hub on the African continent by implementing a robust and efficient National Single Window system,” he said.
He reiterated that the success of the initiative hinges on one crucial element: collaboration, and that the power of collaboration cannot be overstated in carrying out this initiative.
“The forum serves as a critical platform for fostering a collaborative spirit, aligning objectives, raising awareness, and cultivating a sense of shared ownership amongst all stakeholders present. This necessitates seamless collaboration among government agencies, the public and private sectors, and all entities involved in trade facilitation,” Adedeji said.
The FIRS boss urged Nigerians to resolutely dismantle the traditional silos that have hampered the government’s efforts, cultivate the spirit of shared responsibility, and foster a collective commitment towards achieving common goals.
“This requires a fundamental paradigm shift in our mindset, a willingness to embrace change, adapt to new ways of working, and prioritise the national interest above the interests of any individual organisation,” he concluded.
