In a bid to actualise the long awaited National Single Window (NSW) Project of the Federal Government, the National Single Window Secretariat and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), have successfully organised a one day Stakeholders’ Forum on National Single Window.
The event which was held at the Hotel Presidential, PortHarcourt, the Rivers State capital on the 16th of October, 2025 witnessed the presence of relevant stakeholders in the meantime industry, across the South -East and the South-South Zones of the country.
Presenting his address at the event, Mr. Tola Fakolade, Director of the National Single Window (NSW) Project, described it as a legacy programme of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s quest for modalities necessary to be in place for Nigeria to attain a one trillion dollar economy by the year, 2030, in line with world economic growth projection for countries.
Mr. Fakolade pointed out that the NSW simply refers to a platform that will harmonise and streamline trade processes and procedures into a one stop shop platform.
In his words: “The platform will house all government related revenue collection agencies and Importers/ exporters, as well as other regulatory agencies of government, through a single access for declarations,” Mr. Fakolade stated.
In the course of the interactive session of the forum, Mr. Fakolade said the NSW is configured in a way to accommodate all critical stakeholders involved in the trade value chain to the extent of visibility and interoperability, where no stakeholder will operate in silos or in exclusion.
He went further to applauded the efforts of the Nigeria Customs Service, and the Central Bank of Nigeria, among others, for their pioneering roles in digitisation of trade processes.
The NSW Director also commended the high level of support and cooperation that the NCS has been giving since the inauguration of the NSW Project Secretariat.
The Director in the meantime time, assured the stakeholders of Federal Government’s full commitment towards deploying the NSW, to enable Nigeria become a new destination for businesses.
In the same vein, Mr. Kingsley Igwe, Registrar of the Council for Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (CRFFN), who delivered the keynote address, called for stronger dedication by prospective users of the platform, as the project office prepares for onboarding training to acquaint them about the operation of the system
In his address, the Representative of the CGC and Zonal Coordinator for Customs Zone “C,” ACG Mohammed Kamal, called on licensed customs agents and other stakeholders to fully integrate into the NSW for its numerous benefits like: faster clearance time, eradicate delays hitherto caused by multiple agencies process and more.
Also speaking, Mr. Emenike Kingsley Nwokeoji, the National President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), thanked President Bola Tinubu for taking a bolder step to actualise the project, which commencement had been to no avail.
The ANLCA National President further opined that Nigeria must not be left behind at a time innovation, transparency and simplification of processes have become commonplace in the global trading community.
He affirmed ANLCA’s support for the project, and urged the management of the National Single Window project to listen to his members and take note of their challenges.
Speaking in an interview with Nigerian MomentumNews Online & Magazine at the event, Hon. Forwarder Dr. Ike Okechukwu Anselm, Chairman, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Onne Seaport chapter, said that the project would be beneficial to freight forwarders, if well implemented.
He further stated that the National Single Window is a laudable project that should be encouraged and supported, despite the fact that there could be challenges at the beginning of the project.
While Chief Emeka Nwosu, Chairman, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, Onne Seaport chapter, was of the view that the high inflation, which will be as result of certification by various government agencies at the ports, to be addressed, for the interest of the final consumers.
The Chairman of ANLCA, Onne Seaport chapter, Chief Ifeanyi Isikaku (Onwa) and his members; Comr. Ngozi Uzohuo, National Vice President of NAGAFF, Eastern Zone; as well as the immediate past Chairman of ANLCA, Area 1 Seaport chapter, PortHarcourt, Pastor Jerry Opara, among others, were visible at the event.
