Hope rises for the final commencement of the long awaited National Single Window (NSW), as the Federal Government again, assures of its automation and roll out on March 27, 2026, while plans are being perfected for tighter checks on high-risk cargoes, just as the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) backs the initiative
By Edu Abade
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.
He disclosed this on Monday, February 9, 2026 during a meeting with a group of journalists in Lagos, while providing updates on the system’s testing, training schedule, scope and long-term impact on Nigeria’s import and export processes.
Fakolade said, “People will no longer need to log in to different systems and different government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (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 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, stressing that high-risk shipments will be flagged for closer scrutiny and 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 penalize repeat offenders, noting 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.
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 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; adding, “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.”
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 (NCS) and the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) have fully automated their systems, some agencies are semi-automated, while some others are still operating fully manual, adding that those still operating manually will be encouraged to embrace full automation.
He pointed out 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.
Meanwhile, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has backed the National Single Window initiative, describing it as a long-overdue solution to the duplication of documents and multiple submissions that have plagued cargo clearance operations in Nigeria.
Speaking at a Town Hall meeting organized for members of ANLCA in Lagos on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, its National President, Kingsley Emenike Nwokeoji, welcomed the integration of the NSW with the Nigeria Customs Service’s B’Odogwu platform, expressing confidence that the system would deliver much-needed relief to clearing practitioners, saying, “What we are seeing so far is the political will of the present government to put an end to this multiplication of documents and submission of documents. This programme is going to help us streamline the functions of so many agencies of government.
He pointed out that importers often deal with situations where a single product is regulated by two or even three government agencies, leading to repeated submissions and delays that frustrate trade operations.
“With the single submission, whoever is raising any objection will do so on the same platform, and others will see why the cargo or process is being stopped. This will also help in time release,” he added.
Nwokeoji assured the project team of ANLCA’s full support, praising the professionals driving the initiative and expressing optimism that the integrated system would transform clearing operations.
Fakolade, who addressed the clearing agents, announced that the integration represents a major shift in how trade operations will be conducted as from March 27, 2026 when the first phase of the project will be activated.
He explained that the integration would streamline trade processes, including the centralized issuance of licenses and permits required for imports and exports in Nigeria.
On the issue of network downtime, which has been a major concern for clearing agents, Fakolade clarified that connectivity challenges would depend on regular network providers, not the National Single Window platform itself. However, he assured agents that the Committee would create walk-in support centres at all major ports where they can conduct their business.
“In terms of some of the environmental factors, like network issues, network issues are going to impact everybody, and of course, we cannot make the claim that we will solve all your network issues.
“But what we can say is, there are some supports that we are planning to bring, and one of that is, in the major ports, we will have walk-in support centers. Part of the plan is, some of those walk-in support centers, not all, but some of them at the big ports will have internet café, where there will be systems, and you can walk in and work there.
“I’m pretty sure that there will be three different providers of network. So, if one goes down, the other will still be working. If there is a major challenge like fiber optic disruption due to construction on the road, that impacts everybody and there is nothing we can do, because we are all connected to the two or three major fiber optics.”
The Town Hall meeting was attended by clearing agents, members of National Executive Committee (NECOM) of ANLCA led by its President, his Vice president, Prince Segun Oduntan, the National Secretary, Olumide Fakanlu and National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Onyeme, among others.
