Customs, agents disagree over National Single Window operations

A fresh disagreement has emerged between the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and licensed customs agents over the implementation and performance of the National Single Window (NSW), a Federal Government initiative designed to simplify import and export procedures and reduce delays in cargo clearance at Nigerian ports.

The disagreement comes only months after the National Single Window was officially rolled out on March 27, 2026, as part of efforts to modernise Nigeria’s trade processes through a centralised digital platform. The system is designed to allow importers and exporters to submit trade-related documents through a single platform, with information shared electronically among relevant government agencies and other stakeholders.

While the government and Customs maintain that the platform is already producing positive results, some customs agents argue that the system has yet to deliver the streamlined process promised to the trading community.

President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Lucky Amiwero, criticised the current implementation of the system, arguing that it has not eliminated the multiple layers of documentation and processes confronting importers and clearing agents.

According to Amiwero, the initiative is operating more like multiple digital windows rather than a genuinely integrated single window. He called for the Nigeria Customs Service to take over the implementation, arguing that the Service possesses the legal mandate, operational infrastructure and technical capacity required to manage the system under the Customs Act.

The criticism highlights concerns among some industry participants that digitising existing procedures without sufficiently integrating the various agencies involved in cargo clearance could leave many of the underlying bottlenecks unresolved. For a system to function effectively as a single window, traders need to be able to submit information once, with the relevant government agencies accessing and processing the information electronically rather than requiring repetitive submissions.

The National Single Window Secretariat, however, has presented a more positive assessment of the programme. According to the Secretariat, the initiative is intended to create a centralised electronic environment that integrates government agencies and stakeholders involved in import and export activities. Its stated objectives include reducing administrative burdens, improving transparency, strengthening data visibility and making Nigeria more competitive in international trade.

Customs has also defended the implementation, saying the system is functioning and that early benefits are already being recorded. Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of ICT and Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, said the Service had commenced stakeholder sensitisation on electronic vessel manifest submission as the next phase of the project gathers momentum.

Adebakin explained that electronic submission would not change Customs’ statutory responsibilities but would provide a faster and more transparent method of processing trade documentation. She said the system would improve trade facilitation, enhance data integrity and strengthen anti-smuggling efforts.

The National Single Window Project Coordinator, Tola Fakolade, also disclosed that the platform had issued more than 100,000 licences and permits and registered more than 1,000 users. The figures were presented as evidence of progress since the platform’s launch and as an indication of growing participation among stakeholders.

The Federal Government’s broader objective is to use the NSW to transform the country’s trade environment. The official project framework identifies improved government revenue collection, increased trade volumes, automation, stronger transparency, greater foreign investment and an improved ease of doing business as some of the expected benefits.

The initiative is particularly significant given the longstanding challenges associated with cargo clearance in Nigerian ports. Importers and exporters have frequently raised concerns over documentation requirements, delays, multiple regulatory agencies and the costs associated with prolonged cargo processing. A successful single-window system could reduce these administrative burdens by connecting the various agencies involved in international trade through a common digital environment.

The disagreement between Customs and customs agents therefore raises an important question about how quickly the system can move from initial deployment to full operational integration. While the government sees the ongoing rollout as a major step towards modernising trade, industry representatives want practical challenges experienced by users to be resolved before the system is considered fully effective.

Stakeholder engagement is likely to remain important as additional components of the system are introduced. Customs has indicated that consultations held before and after the launch of Phase One will continue as implementation progresses. This approach could provide an avenue for addressing technical difficulties, clarifying responsibilities among participating agencies and ensuring that the platform responds to the needs of businesses operating at the ports.

For Nigeria’s trading community, the ultimate measure of the National Single Window will not simply be the number of users registered or documents processed but whether it significantly reduces the time, cost and complexity associated with importing and exporting goods.

The success of the initiative will consequently depend on effective integration among participating agencies, reliable digital infrastructure, user adoption and continuous engagement with customs brokers, importers, exporters and other private-sector stakeholders.

As the next phase of implementation gathers momentum, the conflicting assessments from Customs and licensed agents underscore the need for transparency, collaboration and measurable performance indicators. If the government can resolve the concerns raised by users while maintaining the technological and institutional gains already recorded, the National Single Window could become a significant tool for improving Nigeria’s trade competitiveness.

However, sustained stakeholder confidence will ultimately depend on whether the system delivers its central promise: replacing fragmented procedures with a genuinely unified, efficient and transparent digital process for international trade.