Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has announced that Nigeria will launch the National Single Trade Window (NSW) platform on March 27, describing it as a transformative reform for the country’s trade ecosystem.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting held Wednesday at the State House, Abuja, Gbajabiamila said the platform would simplify trade procedures, improve efficiency, and enhance Nigeria’s global competitiveness.
He emphasised that the project, introduced by President Bola Tinubu nearly two years ago, represents a “far-reaching fiscal reform designed to modernise Nigeria’s trade processes.”
The National Single Trade Window will allow documents to be submitted once and automatically shared with all relevant agencies, eliminating duplication and improving processing times.
The first phase will enable
online processing of import permits
Electronic submission of cargo manifests, introduction of a centralised risk management system.
National Single Window Coordinator, Mr Tola Fakolade, urged participating agencies to intensify support in the final weeks before rollout, adding that nationwide user training and pilot testing are already underway to ensure a seamless launch.
Several key government stakeholders pledged support for the initiative.
Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, described the platform as “growth-enhancing and growth-enabling.”
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, said the ministry would sensitize traders and exporters ahead of the launch, calling NSW a cornerstone of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, pledged the bank’s support, stressing the importance of closing Nigeria’s trade facilitation gap with other countries.
Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, called for stronger coordination and political commitment.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the project as a historic milestone and promised full collaboration.
The launch would see collaboration across multiple agencies, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigerian Ports Authority, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency.
At the end of the meeting, Dr Jumoke Oduwole was tasked with leading the final implementation phase to ensure the successful rollout on March 27.
