The Registrar of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Mr. Kingsley Igwe, has said that the adoption of the National Single Window (NSW) project in the country’s import and export processes will not only cut down the cost and time of cargo clearance at the ports but also lower production costs for manufacturing firms.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting on the NSW project in Lagos, Igwe also said that despite Nigeria being strategically positioned as the gateway to West and Central Africa, businesses in the country (large, multinational, small-scale importers, or local manufacturers) continue to struggle under the heavy burden of high logistic costs, fragmented processes, duplication of documentation, and delays in cargo clearance.
He stated that NSW represents a transformative solution that has been successfully implemented in several countries, where trade facilitation reforms have delivered measurable improvements in efficiency, competitiveness, and attracted investment.
His words: ‘The reason for this urgency is that Nigeria is at a critical juncture in its economic journey. We are one of Africa’s largest economies, strategically positioned as the gateway to West and Central Africa. Yet, our business, whether large, multinational, small-scale importers, or local manufacturers, continue to struggle under the heavy burden of high logistic costs, fragmented processes, duplication of documentation, and delays in cargo clearance.
‘NSW represents a transformative solution, one that has been successfully adopted in countries like Singapore, South Korea, and Rwanda, where trade facilitation reforms have yielded measurable gains in efficiency, competitiveness, and investment attractiveness.
‘It is a digital platform that allows traders, businesses, and regulatory agencies to submit and assess trade-related documents in single, unified interface’.
Instead of shippers, freight forwarders, banks, customs, port operators, and other stakeholders working in silos with multiple paper submission, the national single window integrates them into one transparent, secure, and interoperable ecosystem.
‘It ensures that, one, importers and exporters can process documentation once, with instant recognition by all agencies. Regulatory approvals, permits, licenses, and inspections are automated and tracked in real time. Payments, compliance, check, and cargo release happen seamlessly with reduced human interface’.
In his remarks, Director of the National Single Window project, Mr. Tola Fakolade said that the project will not only generate trade data, it will also make every operator in the Maritime and oil and gas industries to be compliant.
