The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have stepped up joint efforts to deliver the Nigerian National Single Window (NSW) platform in line with the Federal Government’s target for the first quarter of 2026.
At a meeting held on Tuesday, both agencies reviewed ongoing work with the NSW Secretariat and agreed on specific measures for integration and implementation.
The project, launched by President Bola Tinubu in April 2024, is intended to simplify trade procedures, increase transparency, and improve Nigeria’s competitiveness in international commerce.
In July, the President directed the NSW Steering Committee to ensure the platform becomes fully operational by the first quarter of 2026.
FIRS Executive Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, stated that coordination between the two agencies was key to meeting the deadline.
He said the integration of revenue-collection systems between the FIRS and Customs was expected to improve efficiency and expand the country’s non-oil revenue base.
NCS Comptroller-General, Adewale Adeniyi, said the NSW was a priority for the administration and that it aimed to create a modern trade environment through the application of advanced technology in clearance and compliance processes, with the goal of reducing bottlenecks in the movement of goods.
NSW Director, Tola Fakolade, reported that the initiative had progressed beyond the assessment phase and was now in the development and integration stage.
He said the NSW would operate as a central hub connecting all relevant government agencies through a unified platform, and that effective integration at this stage was critical to meeting the operational timeline.
When operational, the NSW is expected to reduce cargo clearance times, lower operational costs, and address procedural delays, enabling businesses to trade more efficiently domestically and internationally. The government anticipates increased revenue through reduced leakages and improved compliance, while consumers may benefit from lower prices and faster access to goods. Fakolade also noted that the platform could strengthen Nigeria’s position in global trade, attract foreign investment, and generate employment across various sectors.
The NSW is a Federal Government digital trade facilitation initiative aimed at consolidating all trade-related agencies onto a single portal.
It is designed to enable importers and exporters to complete documentation and clear goods more efficiently by reducing port delays, minimising manual intervention, and eliminating overlapping processes.
The steering committee overseeing the project includes representatives from the Ministries of Finance and Trade, the FIRS, and the NCS.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.