The Director of the National Single Window (NSW) Project, Tola Fakolade has insisted that the government would meet the targeted go-live date of March 27, noting that the NSW surpassed the different versions of technological trade platforms experimented over the past 15 to 20 years.
The Director disclosed this Monday during a meeting with journalists under the aegis of the Maritime Correspondents Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) in Lagos, where he provided updates on the system’s testing, training schedule, scope, and long-term impact on Nigeria’s import and export processes.
According to Fakolade “People will no longer need to log in to different systems and different MDAs. They will only log into the Single Window, and the system will automatically exchange the required data with other platforms. From the user perspective, importers, exporters, licensed agents, freight forwarders, everything will be done through the Single Window,” he said.
He said under the new platform, historical data will be used to profile consignments based on factors such as country of origin, product type and the importers compliance record.
Fakolade stressed that high-risk shipments will be flagged for closer scrutinynand habitual offenders will face stricter scrutiny, while compliant traders will benefit from faster “green lane” processing.
He said Nigeria’s level of compliance with import rules and upfront declarations remains low, as the system does not effectively reward compliant traders or consistently penalise repeat offenders.
Fakolade noted that only the Nigeria Customs Service currently has a relatively robust risk management system, while other regulatory agencies still rely heavily on full manual or semi-manual processes.
Fakolade highlighted the practice of repeated submission of the same data and documents to different agencies, noting that companies apply for certificates from multiple regulators, are asked to repeatedly input identical information such as company details, product descriptions and country of origin.
He also added that currently, shipping lines often submit manifests to different agencies and, in some cases, are still asked to provide physical copies after electronic submission.
This, he said, slows down processing and increases administrative burden without adding any real value.
Fakolade further added that the platform will allow traders and agents to track consignments and permits in real time, making it easier to see where delays occur.
He said presently, it is often difficult to track where a consignment is stuck, stressing that the NSW will visibility of what is happening at every stage.
“Today, it is difficult for an importer or agent to know exactly where they are in the process. One agency may say the delay is with another agency, and the blame keeps shifting. The trader is left in the dark, paying extra costs while trying to figure out what is going on,” he said.
Fakolade highlighted challenges to the new system to include agencies slow adoption of technology for the automation of their services, noting that while the Nigeria Customs Service and Standard Organisation of Nigeria has fully automated their systems, some agencies are semi-automted, while some are still operating full manual.
He said the that inefficiencies at Nigerian ports have driven some importers to route cargo through neighbouring countries and then bring the goods in by land, even when the goods are destined for Nigeria.
Fakolade said even with the diversion of cargoes to neighbouring ports, it is more faster to clear and bring the goods into Nigeria than for cargoes at Nigerian ports to leave for their destination.
Fakolade said the goal is also to bring the overall cost of clearing cargo at least to parity with neighbouring West African countries, making Nigeria more attractive to investors concerned about delays and high costs.
The NSW director listed agencies that are technologically ready for NSW to include, Nigeria Customs Service, Standard Organisation of Nigeria,National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), noting that others would be ready before the rollout date
He also disclosed plans to establish support centres at major ports to assist users who may face connectivity challenge, stating with Apapa port, which will function as a dedicated transaction hubs where agents can process applications using reliable internet connections from multiple providers.
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