Nigeria will officially unveil the National Single Window (NSW), a digital trade platform designed to streamline import and export processes, on March 27.
The platform will serve as an electronic portal connecting all government agencies and stakeholders involved in international trade to a unified system. The initiative is domiciled at the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS).
The launch date was announced on Wednesday by Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to the president, during a stakeholders’ meeting at the State House in Abuja attended by ministers, heads of government agencies and other key officials.
In a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Gbajabiamila described the project as a major step toward transforming Nigeria’s trade ecosystem.
He said the platform forms part of the fiscal reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu nearly two years ago, aimed at simplifying trade procedures, improving efficiency and boosting the country’s competitiveness in global markets.
Gbajabiamila explained that the system will function as a single national window for trade documentation and approvals, replacing the existing structure where traders interact with multiple agencies separately.
“As the name implies, it will serve as one national window rather than several individual ones,” he said, adding that the meeting was convened to assess progress and secure the commitment of participating agencies ahead of the launch.
Meanwhile, the NSW coordinator, Tola Fakolade, called on participating agencies to intensify preparations in the remaining weeks before the rollout.
Fakolade said the first phase of the platform will allow online processing of import permits, electronic submission of cargo manifests, and the introduction of a centralised risk management system.
He added that training for users across the country is currently underway, while pilot testing will begin soon to ensure a smooth implementation.
According to him, cargo manifests will be submitted electronically and automatically transmitted to relevant agencies, eliminating manual handling and reducing duplication in documentation.
Fakolade also noted that under the new system, traders will submit documents once, after which they will be shared with all relevant government agencies through the integrated platform.