Tinubu Sets Q1 2026 Deadline for National Single Window Platform Implementation

President Bola Tinubu has instructed the National Single Window (NSW) Steering Committee to ensure that the trade facilitation platform becomes fully operational by the first quarter of 2026.

The directive was conveyed during the fifth meeting of the steering committee, held on Tuesday at the State House in Abuja. The President was represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Gbajabiamila linked the urgency of the NSW rollout to the recently enacted Tax Reform Acts, signed into law in June, and the administration’s broader aim of achieving a $1 trillion economy.

He emphasised the importance of financial and trade sector reforms as integral to national economic transformation.

“It is important that we continue to stay focused on this project so that we meet our timelines and achieve the results the President expects,” Gbajabiamila said.

He underlined the role of the NSW as a unified digital platform aimed at simplifying Nigeria’s import and export processes. According to him, the platform is expected to enhance transparency, attract investment, increase trade revenues, and improve Nigeria’s credibility in international business.

Gbajabiamila urged all relevant agencies to refine their targets and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in order to meet the Phase 1 deployment timeline.

“I expect that since the last steering committee meeting held on 8 April 2025, all stakeholders have worked actively to progress the required KPIs and targets, to ensure the Phase 1 rollout in Q1 2026 proceeds as scheduled,” he stated.

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, described progress on the initiative as encouraging but called for an accelerated shift from planning to implementation. He characterised the NSW as both complex and transformational, stressing the need for enhanced inter-agency collaboration to meet the rollout deadline.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, also urged the committee to maintain momentum and meet the 2026 target without delay.

Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, expressed appreciation to the President for continued support of the project. He noted the legal backing now granted to the platform and called on committee members to remain focused.

“The reward for hard work is more work,” Adedeji said. “Now that the Single Window has been enacted into law, we must maintain our resolve to see it through.”

Director of the National Single Window Project, Tola Fakolade, presented an update on the committee’s progress. He reported that all key milestones for the second quarter of 2025 had been achieved and that customisation of the platform was underway. Fakolade expressed confidence that the committee would adhere to the established timeline.

The NSW is a Federal Government initiative designed to streamline trade procedures through a centralised electronic system for importers and exporters.

Launched in April 2024, the platform aims to consolidate all relevant government agencies involved in cross-border trade onto a single digital portal. It is expected to reduce transaction costs, minimise delays, and improve transparency and efficiency at Nigeria’s ports.

The NSW Steering Committee includes representatives from the Ministry of Trade and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, and the Nigeria Customs Service.