National Single Window Processes Over 169,000 Licenses, Certificates, Aims for Seamless Export Via Risk Sharing, Single Portal, Single Entry
National Single Window Processes Over 169,000 Licenses, Certificates,
Aims for Seamless Export Via Risk Sharing, Single Portal, Single Entry
By Jerry Aguigbo
Nigeria’s National Single Window (NSW) platform has processed 169,211 licences, permits and other regulatory documents since it commenced operations on March 27, 2026, signalling growing adoption of the Federal Government’s digital trade initiative.
According to its October 2026 performance report, the platform has registered 12,465 importers and agents, while onboarding 27 airlines and 56 shipping lines.
The report also shows that participating airlines have transmitted 4,009 air cargo manifests, while shipping companies submitted 405 sea cargo manifests through the platform.
The National Single Window was introduced to streamline Nigeria’s import and export processes by bringing regulatory documentation and approvals onto a centralised digital platform, reducing paperwork, processing delays and inefficiencies in cargo clearance.
As part of the implementation, the platform has digitised import licence, permit and certificate processes for key regulatory agencies, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS).
The initiative is expected to improve transparency, simplify trade procedures and strengthen the efficiency of Nigeria’s international trade ecosystem.
Meanwhile, in a bid to boost Nigerian products export, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), has through the management of the National Single Window project (NSW) heightened engagement with Nigerian exporters, Banks, and key industry stakeholders in view of the implementation of Phase Two of the project, which is expected to significantly simplify export procedures, reduce regulatory bottlenecks and improve Nigeria’s competitiveness in international trade.
This much was expressed at the Phase Two Export Sensitisation Joint Stakeholders Forum held at the Balmoral Hall, Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, where government agencies, exporters, customs officials, banks and logistics operators examined the proposed reforms and their implications for the country’s non-oil export sector.
Speaking at the event, Director of the National Single Window, Tayo Fakolade, said the second phase would build on the achievements and lessons of the first phase while bringing export-related processes onto a central digital platform.
He explained that the National Single Window was designed to eliminate the fragmentation of trade documentation, whereby importers and exporters previously had to submit similar documents separately to different regulatory agencies.
Under the arrangement, users will have a single entry point for submitting trade documentation, while the platform will electronically transmit the required information to relevant agencies for processing and approval.
Fakolade said the system was designed around the principles of a single entry point, single submission and coordinated processing, adding that it would improve transparency, reduce duplication and strengthen information-sharing among regulatory institutions.
He stressed that the platform was not intended to take over the statutory responsibilities or revenue functions of participating agencies but to improve collaboration and make trade processes more efficient.
Providing an update on the project’s performance, Fakolade disclosed that Phase One, which went live on March 27, 2026, had recorded significant progress despite initial implementation challenges.
According to him, the platform has processed 169,211 licences, permits and certificates, while more than 12,000 importers and agents have registered on the system.
He added that 27 airlines had been onboarded, with more than 4,000 air cargo manifests submitted through the platform. Twenty shipping lines have also been connected, alongside the registration of shipping agents, further strengthening the digital processing of trade documentation.
The Director further disclosed that the project had processed payments valued at over $17 billion for participating regulatory agencies, including NAFDAC, SON and the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service.
He identified the rationalisation of Harmonised System (HS) codes as another major achievement, explaining that the Secretariat had worked with regulatory agencies to address situations where multiple institutions exercised overlapping regulatory responsibilities over certain products.
Beyond the technology, the discussions at the forum highlighted the importance of cooperation among regulatory agencies, financial institutions, exporters and logistics service providers in making the National Single Window effective.
While the platform promises to reduce multiple submissions and simplify regulatory procedures, stakeholders’ willingness to embrace the system, provide feedback and align their operational processes will be crucial to achieving its objectives.
However, non-oil exports remain central to Nigeria’s economic diversification, the success of Phase Two could represent a major step towards reducing the cost and complexity of international trade, improving export efficiency and opening more opportunities for Nigerian businesses in global markets.
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