Officials pledge support ahead of March 27 launch of Nigeria’s digital trade platform

Nigeria is set to officially launch its national single window (NSW), a digital trade platform, on March 27. The NSW is an electronic portal designed to link all agencies and stakeholders involved in import and export processes into a single, integrated platform. The system is domiciled at the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS).

Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to the president, announced the launch date on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the State House in Abuja, attended by ministers, agency heads, and other key officials.

According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president, Gbajabiamila described the initiative as a “monumental” step toward transforming Nigeria’s trade ecosystem. He noted that the NSW, first launched by President Bola Tinubu nearly two years ago, represents a far-reaching fiscal reform aimed at streamlining trade procedures, improving efficiency, and enhancing the country’s competitiveness.

“We are about to launch yet another reform, fiscal reform by this administration, which in its nature will be very transformational,” Gbajabiamila said.

“As the name suggests, it is a single national window as opposed to multiple single windows. This meeting is to review the progress we have made and get your commitment to ensure this transition is managed smoothly.”

User training ongoing, pilot testing to begin soon

Tola Fakolade, NSW coordinator, urged participating agencies to intensify support in the final 23 days leading up to the launch. The first phase of the platform will enable online processing of import permits, electronic submission of cargo manifests, and the introduction of a centralized risk management system.

“Nationwide user training is ongoing, and pilot testing will soon begin to ensure a smooth rollout,” Fakolade said. “Cargo manifests will be submitted electronically and transmitted automatically to relevant agencies without human intervention. The support we need from each agency is even more critical now. Documents will be submitted once and shared with all relevant agencies without duplication.”

Top officials pledge support

Several senior officials reaffirmed their commitment to the project. Wale Edun, coordinating minister of the economy and minister of finance, pledged his ministry’s full support. Jumoke Oduwole, minister of industry, trade and investment, described the initiative as a critical pillar of the administration’s reform agenda and pledged collaboration with relevant agencies to sensitize traders, importers, and exporters.

Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), emphasized the need to close Nigeria’s trade facilitation gap with other countries, while Zacch Adedeji, chairman of the NRS, called for stronger coordination and political will to ensure successful implementation. Adedeji proposed that the minister of industry, trade and investment lead the 23-day implementation phase.

Bashir Adeniyi, comptroller-general of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), described the project as a historic milestone and committed to ongoing direct engagement with stakeholders for a successful rollout.

Other agencies represented at the meeting included the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).

At the end of the meeting, the minister of industry, trade and investment was officially mandated to lead the implementation phase ahead of the March 27 launch.