Licensed customs agents and freight forwarders under the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) have thrown their weight behind the National Single Window (NSW) Project, describing it as a long-awaited relief for industry operators.
The associations pledged their full support for the implementation of the project during separate town hall engagements held in Apapa, Lagos, with ANLCA members meeting on Tuesday and NAGAFF members on Wednesday.
Speaking at the ANLCA town hall meeting, the National President of ANLCA, Emenike Nwokeoji, described the NSW initiative as a much-needed reform for licensed customs agents.
He expressed excitement over the strong government backing and political will of the current administration to eliminate the duplication of documentation and repeated submissions that have long hampered trade facilitation.
Nwokeoji expressed confidence that the project would address overlapping functions among government agencies, noting that objections raised on the platform would be visible to all stakeholders, thereby enhancing transparency.
He added that the system would speed up cargo clearance, enable remote submission of documents, and allow agents to track the movement of their cargo in real time.
“This project is going to help in making our jobs easier. That is why we are giving much support within our capacity. I believe strongly, on behalf of every licensed customs agent, that it will succeed,” he said.
At the NAGAFF engagement, the National President, Tochukwu Ezisi, described the NSW Project as a positive and timely development that would significantly improve efficiency, transparency, and ease of doing business in the maritime sector.
He affirmed the association’s full support and expressed optimism that with adequate training and stakeholder engagement, the reform would deliver its intended benefits to the industry and the national economy.
Founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, also described the Single Window platform as a major breakthrough for the maritime sector, highlighting its interactive nature and potential to make business transactions more seamless.
“The single window platform is the best thing that is going to happen in the maritime sector because it is interactive. NAGAFF members will fully support this project, and we are always eager to embrace due process,” Aniebonam said.
Both associations urged their members to fully embrace the programme, drawing lessons from past technological transitions where delayed adoption led to operational challenges. They emphasised the importance of participating in the training sessions organised by the NSW team and encouraged members to register online, attend sessions at designated centres, and cascade the knowledge to their staff.
Earlier, the Director of the National Single Window Project, Tola Fakolade, outlined a phased transition strategy designed to manage risks and address initial challenges. He disclosed that the rollout would take place in three stages over a maximum period of 12 months.
According to Fakolade, Phase One, scheduled to commence on March 27, 2026, will cover licences, certificates and permits (LCPO) application submission for imports, manifest submission for air and sea cargo, centralised risk management for regulatory agencies such as SON, NAFDAC and NAQS, as well as payments for LCPO.
Phase Two, planned for Q2–Q3 2026, will include LCPO application submission for exports, export process applications such as NXP, initiation of Form M processes on the Single Window platform, and data analytics, reports and dashboards.
Phase Three, expected in Q1 2027, will address declaration submission, duties assessment and payment, advanced risk analytics, trade visualisation systems, and operational reporting dashboards.
Fakolade assured stakeholders that processes not captured in the first phase would continue on existing government platforms, ensuring continuity during the transition.
He also revealed that the project would be supported by an intensive two-day hands-on training programme for licensed customs agents and freight forwarders, to be conducted over four weeks nationwide. Participants are advised to register for training centres closest to them. He further disclosed plans to establish support centres with internet facilities at major ports, starting with Apapa Port, alongside help desks and walk-in support centres after launch.
The NSW Project Director commended the strong support shown by ANLCA and NAGAFF leadership and called for broader sensitisation among their members, urging them to serve as ambassadors of the initiative.
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