President Bola Tinubu said Nigeria has achieved a 30 per cent reduction in seaport clearance times since 2023, describing the improvement as evidence that his administration’s trade and economic reforms are delivering measurable results.
Speaking on Monday at the opening of the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) at the State House, Abuja, the President said the milestone reflects Nigeria’s determination to dismantle long-standing structural barriers that have hindered trade, slowed investment and weakened regional competitiveness.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu said the reduction in clearance times forms part of a broader reform strategy aimed at building an Africa where borders no longer obstruct economic opportunity.
He stressed that the continent cannot afford to operate with “slow and inefficient borders”, noting that fragmented markets are unable to achieve industrial scale or withstand external shocks.
“Nigeria remains firmly committed to building an Africa that trades by design,” he said. “Success will be judged not by communiqués but by real outcomes, shorter border-crossing times, reliable local-currency settlements and efficient movement of goods.”
The President outlined several measures that helped drive the reduction in port delays, including unifying the foreign-exchange window, removing fuel subsidies to redirect resources to critical infrastructure, modernising port operations with 24-hour clearance, and adopting the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) to boost intra-African trade.
He added that paper-based compliance processes are being phased out in favour of digital systems and automation.
Tinubu also highlighted the alignment of key government institutions — such as the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria — into a coordinated trade-enablement framework.
This integrated approach, he said, ensures reforms reinforce one another and accelerate continental integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The President also said that the National Single Window (NSW) project, being championed by his administration, would further transform Nigeria’s trade environment.
The digital platform, due to begin phase one operations in March 2026 and achieve full rollout by December 2026, will allow businesses to submit all import and export documentation through a unified portal, automate inter-agency processes and cut clearance times to under seven days.
He maintained that Africa must now focus on execution rather than declarations if it hopes to realise the benefits of AfCFTA, stressing that true integration will be reflected in the everyday experiences of traders, manufacturers, logistics operators and farmers.
Other speakers echoed the President’s call for accelerated reforms. Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to modernising customs processes and improving the business environment, while Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, affirmed the administration’s resolve to deepen regional economic integration.
The Secretary-General of the World Customs Organisation, Ian Saunders, praised Nigeria’s progress in adopting modern standards, while Afreximbank Executive Vice President, Kanayo Awani, commended customs modernisation efforts across the continent.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, urged African authorities to strengthen cross-border cooperation and avoid working in silos, emphasising that customs administrations must play an active role in AfCFTA implementation.
AfCFTA Secretary-General, Wamkele Mene, assured that the Secretariat will work closely with the Nigeria Customs Service to ensure that the objectives of C-PACT translate into concrete gains for African trade.
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