The National Single Window Initiative kicks off as stakeholders hope the initiative eliminates bureaucratic delays in export and import processes to boost trade efficiency and enhance economic growth.
President Bola Tinubu launched the initiative in April 2024.
The stakeholders at the National Single Window Initiative include the Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole; chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Dr Zacch Adedeji, Managing Director, Nigerian Port Authority (NPA); Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, and others who are optimistic about the potentiality of the project fast-tracking the realisation of a $1 trillion economy.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy said the initiative would significantly reduce the cost of doing business in the country and eliminate sharp practices in trade processes.
The World Bank, in a report, said the cost of doing business at Nigerian ports may be up to 40 per cent higher than in other West African countries due to delays and administrative bottlenecks, leading to an estimated annual revenue loss of ₦2.5 trillion within the business community.
Oyetola said the implementation of the single window system can enhance efficiency, potentially reducing these costs by at least 25 per cent. Through streamlining operations, improving transparency, and minimising delays, the system not only drives cost savings but also strengthens overall trade facilitation.
To improve business in Nigeria by developing multimodal connectivity by improving road, rail, and inland waterway links to and from the ports. These improvements aim to reduce transportation costs, enhance logistics, and boost trade.
To improve transportation, the Ministry, in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, cleared the age-long Apapa-Tincan-Mile 2 traffic for landside operations and provided tugboats, mooring boats, pilot cutters, bollards, and fenders across all port locations for effective seaside operations.
The Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr Oduwole, stressed that the establishment of a National Single Window system for trade is not merely a policy objective but a transformative reform that will fundamentally redefine the way trade is conducted across our borders.
In Indonesia, their NSW programme was launched in 2007 to simplify trade, and since then they have significantly reduced clearance time. The average time for cargo clearance at ports dropped from seven days to just three days; traders saved millions of dollars annually through reduced administrative costs and delays.
