Key points
- The National Single Window (NSW) says it has resolved 99 per cent of the 9,800 operational complaints linked to NAFDAC and SON licences, permits and certificates.
- Initial disruptions were attributed to data migration issues, incomplete documentation and overlapping regulatory responsibilities among government agencies.
- NSW management says complaints on the platform have dropped significantly following technical interventions and improved collaboration with relevant agencies.
Main story
The management of the National Single Window has disclosed that 99 per cent of the 9,800 operational complaints relating to licences, permits, certificates and other documents involving the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control have been resolved.
Director of Operations of the NSW, Peter Ekunkoya, disclosed during a media briefing at the weekend.
Ekunkoya explained that the operational challenges experienced shortly after the launch of the platform were largely caused by difficulties encountered during the migration of regulatory agencies’ data into the system.
According to him, gaps in documentation, incomplete records and overlapping regulatory mandates among government agencies also contributed to delays in processing approvals and permits.
He stated that the rollout of the Licence, Permit, Certificate and Other documents (LPCO) model exposed major deficiencies in the quality of data supplied by some agencies during the migration process.
“Some data fields were either incomplete or entirely missing, making reconciliation with records from international partners difficult and creating delays in approvals,” he said.
Ekunkoya noted that the NSW team subsequently carried out a comprehensive data cleanup and phased migration exercise to address the identified issues.
He added that temporary measures were also introduced to ensure that importers were not unduly stranded during the transition period.
According to him, importers affected by missing records were granted temporary clearance opportunities, particularly in cases where applications for product or shipment certificates had already been submitted.
The NSW operations director disclosed that the platform recorded about 9,800 complaints since inception, with more than 6,000 cases reported within the first four weeks after rollout.
He, however, said complaint volumes had reduced considerably in recent weeks.
“The platform initially recorded an average of about 1,500 complaints weekly, but this has now declined significantly in the last four weeks to less than 900, and in some cases, around 800,” he stated.
On issues relating to NAFDAC documentation, Ekunkoya explained that the situation was more complicated because the agency was already contending with an internal backlog before integrating into the NSW platform.
The issues
The implementation of the National Single Window initiative is part of broader efforts by the Federal Government to streamline trade processes, improve port efficiency and reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks in cargo clearance.
However, the transition exposed longstanding structural and administrative challenges within some regulatory agencies, particularly around digital record management and inter-agency coordination.
Industry stakeholders had earlier raised concerns over delays in permit processing, cargo clearance disruptions and rising demurrage costs linked to technical issues on the platform.
What’s being said
Director and Project Head of the NSW Project, Tola Fakolade, said discussions with terminal operators and shipping companies had resulted in agreements to grant demurrage waivers in cases where delays were directly linked to NSW-related issues.
According to him, terminal operators and shipping firms rejected blanket waivers, citing concerns that such concessions could be exploited by traders.
Fakolade also stated that most of the technical challenges affecting permit retrieval and processing had now been resolved through collaboration among SON, NAFDAC and the Nigeria Customs Service.
What’s next
NSW management is expected to continue strengthening data integration processes and improving coordination among government agencies involved in trade facilitation.
Stakeholders are also likely to monitor how effectively the platform sustains reduced complaint levels and faster processing timelines in the coming months.
Further system upgrades and regulatory harmonisation efforts may also be introduced to improve operational efficiency and prevent future disruptions.
Bottom line
Although the National Single Window platform faced significant operational challenges during its early rollout, authorities say major technical and regulatory issues have largely been resolved. The platform’s ability to sustain improved efficiency and restore stakeholder confidence will be critical to Nigeria’s broader trade facilitation and port modernisation objectives.
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