Key points
- Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and National Single Window (NSW) Secretariat commenced sensitisation for maritime stakeholders on electronic manifest submission.
- The exercise follows the successful launch of Phase One of the National Single Window on March 27, 2026.
- Customs says the initiative will improve trade facilitation, transparency, risk management and anti-smuggling efforts.
- Shipping companies have been urged to submit compliant electronic manifests to support faster cargo clearance.
- The NSW platform has already issued over 100,000 licences and permits and registered more than 1,000 users.
Main Story
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in collaboration with the National Single Window (NSW) Secretariat, has intensified the implementation of the National Single Window initiative through a sensitisation programme for Customs officers, shipping lines and other maritime stakeholders, marking the commencement of the electronic maritime manifest submission phase.
The sensitisation exercise, held at the Apapa Area Command on Tuesday, forms part of ongoing stakeholder engagements following the successful launch of Phase One of the National Single Window on March 27, 2026, aimed at modernising Nigeria’s trade ecosystem and aligning it with global best practices.
Speaking at the event, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of ICT/Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, said the National Single Window was already delivering measurable benefits to Nigeria by improving the country’s competitiveness in international trade while enhancing Customs operations.
She explained that beyond revenue generation, the platform would strengthen trade facilitation, improve data integrity, enhance transparency and support more effective anti-smuggling operations, stressing that electronic manifest submission would not alter Customs’ statutory responsibilities but simply provide a faster and more efficient method of processing trade documentation.
The Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs and Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘A’, Mohammed Babandede, described stakeholder engagement as a defining feature of the Service’s operational approach, noting that Customs consistently consults industry players before introducing new policies and digital reforms.
He urged shipping companies to ensure timely and compliant submission of electronic sea manifests, describing the manifest as a critical component of cargo declaration, risk assessment and efficient cargo clearance.
The Issues
The successful implementation of the electronic maritime manifest system depends largely on stakeholder compliance, digital readiness and sustained collaboration between Customs, shipping companies, terminal operators and other players in the maritime sector.
Effective adoption is expected to improve cargo processing efficiency, strengthen risk profiling, enhance transparency and reduce opportunities for smuggling and trade bottlenecks.
What’s Being Said
Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, ICT/Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin
“Since the introduction of the National Single Window, the country as a whole, not only the NCS, has begun to experience its benefits. Nigeria’s standing in international trade is improving, and the NCS remains committed to supporting the successful implementation of this initiative.”
“It is simply a more efficient and transparent method of submitting the same documents.”
Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Zone ‘A’, Mohammed Babandede
“The sea manifest is central to cargo declaration and risk management. I urge shipping companies to submit compliant manifests promptly to support faster cargo clearance and efficient risk profiling.”
National Coordinator, National Single Window Project, Tola Fakolade
“The platform has already achieved significant milestones, including the issuance of over 100,000 licences and permits and the registration of more than 1,000 users.”
Customs Area Controller, Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba
“Shipping companies, terminal operators and other stakeholders should sustain collaboration with the NCS and the NSW Secretariat to accelerate trade facilitation, improve compliance, strengthen transparency and reinforce Nigeria’s position as a competitive trading nation.”
What’s Next
The Nigeria Customs Service and the National Single Window Secretariat are expected to continue stakeholder sensitisation across the maritime industry as implementation of the electronic manifest submission progresses. Customs says sustained collaboration and compliance will be critical to achieving faster cargo clearance, improved trade efficiency and the full realisation of the National Single Window initiative.
Bottom Line
The commencement of the electronic maritime manifest submission phase marks another milestone in Nigeria’s National Single Window implementation, with Customs and industry stakeholders working together to modernise trade processes, strengthen transparency and enhance the country’s competitiveness in global commerce.
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