Nigeria is set to officially launch its National Single Window (NSW) digital trade platform on March 27, a move hailed as a major step in modernizing the country’s trade ecosystem. The platform, housed under the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), aims to connect all government agencies and trade players on a single electronic portal for smoother import and export processes.
Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, announced the launch date during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting at the State House in Abuja, attended by ministers, agency heads, and other officials. Describing the initiative as “monumental,” Gbajabiamila emphasized that the platform is a transformational fiscal reform designed to streamline trade procedures, boost efficiency, and improve Nigeria’s global competitiveness.
The NSW, first introduced by President Bola Tinubu nearly two years ago, will enable online processing of import permits, electronic submission of cargo manifests, and centralized risk management. Tola Fakolade, NSW coordinator, confirmed that nationwide user training is ongoing and pilot testing will begin soon to ensure a smooth rollout. The platform will allow documents to be submitted once and shared automatically with relevant agencies, eliminating duplication and manual processing.
Government officials, including Wale Edun, Jumoke Oduwole, Olayemi Cardoso, Zacch Adedeji, and Bashir Adeniyi, expressed strong support for the initiative. They highlighted its potential to close Nigeria’s trade facilitation gap with other countries and pledged inter-agency collaboration during the critical 23-day implementation phase leading up to the launch.
Agencies involved in the project include the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NQS), and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA). Officials have called for strong coordination and political will to ensure the NSW’s success as a transformative tool for Nigeria’s trade sector.
source: The cable