Abuja: The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has urged key agencies to facilitate a structured rollout and smooth implementation of the National Single Window (NSW) project, set to commence on March 27. Gbajabiamila addressed a stakeholders’ meeting at the State House, emphasizing the project’s significance as a fiscal reform initiative under the Bola Tinubu administration.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the NSW project, launched nearly two years ago by President Bola Tinubu, aims to streamline trade processes and remove bottlenecks. Gbajabiamila highlighted the transition’s importance and solicited commitment from agencies for its successful execution. The NSW Project Coordinator, Mr. Tola Fakolade, reiterated the critical need for agency support in the final days leading up to the launch, explaining the project’s initial phase would allow importers to submit documents on a single platform accessible to all relevant agencies.
Fakolade further detailed that cargo manifests would be electronically submitted and automatically transmitted to the necessary agencies, eliminating the need for human intervention. The introduction of a centralized risk management system will enable real-time sharing of cargo risk profiles among agencies, with Customs having the final clearance authority.
The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, expressed the ministry’s dedication to the project’s success, while the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, emphasized the importance of inter-agency collaboration. Nigeria Revenue Service Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, and Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Wale Adeniyi, called for collective effort from all parties involved.
Agencies such as NAFDAC, FAAN, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and others pledged their support for a seamless transition. The NSW Project is expected to simplify trade processes, cut down on duplication, and significantly reduce cargo clearance timelines from several weeks to 24 to 48 hours, thereby improving efficiency, transparency, and ease of doing business for importers and exporters in Nigeria.