The Federal Government will commence Phase One of the National Single Window (NSW) for Trade on March 27, 2026, marking a significant milestone in its efforts to modernise Nigeria’s trade processes through technology-driven reforms.
The National Single Window is a centralised digital platform designed to streamline and harmonise trade procedures by enabling traders to submit all trade-related documentation once through a single interface. Relevant government agencies will, in turn, access, process and approve submissions seamlessly, reducing administrative bottlenecks across ports and border points.
The initiative is expected to cut delays, eliminate duplication of procedures, improve transparency and significantly lower the cost of doing business in Nigeria’s trade environment.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while inaugurating the project on April 16, 2024, described the National Single Window as a critical pillar of his administration’s trade and economic reform agenda. According to the Presidency, the President said the platform would replace fragmentation with coordination, opacity with transparency, and inefficiency with speed, stressing that efficient trade systems are essential for economic diversification, non-oil export growth and improved ease of doing business.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, also described the initiative as a game-changer that would simplify and democratise trade in Nigeria. She noted that the platform would streamline documentation through a unified window, enhance transparency, improve transaction tracking and ultimately boost trade volumes, with experienced traders standing to gain significantly from the efficiency improvements.
Providing insight into the implementation strategy, the Director of the National Single Window Project, Mr Tola Fakolade, said the government deliberately adopted a phased rollout to ensure system stability and build stakeholder confidence. He explained that Phase One would focus primarily on statutory permits and cargo manifests, where procedural bottlenecks are most pronounced.
“The National Single Window will be rolled out in phases, starting with statutory permits and manifests. This approach allows us to stabilise the system, build confidence among stakeholders and deliver immediate value,” Fakolade said.
He added that the phased strategy was informed by lessons from previous large-scale technology initiatives that adopted a “big bang” rollout, which often led to operational disruptions. Subsequent phases, he said, would gradually expand the platform’s scope, onboard additional agencies and deepen integration across the trade value chain to ensure scalability and long-term sustainability.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with the private sector, development partners and other trade stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition and shared ownership of the reform.
With the rollout of the National Single Window, the government said Nigeria is taking a decisive step towards modern trade governance, positioning the country as a more competitive regional trade hub while strengthening revenue assurance and facilitating the faster movement of goods.
 for Trade on March 27, 2026, marking ...){kind=link}