The Federal Government has intensified efforts to implement the National Single Window (NSW) policy at the nation’s ports by 2026 as part of measures to enhance efficiency, transparency, and trade competitiveness.
Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed this on Thursday during the second meeting of the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to the Vice President, the initiative aims to harmonise documentation and reduce human contact in cargo clearance processes, thereby cutting average cargo clearance time in Nigeria from 21 days to under seven days by the end of 2026.
“By the end of 2026, we aim to reduce average cargo clearance time in Nigeria to under seven days and position our ports among the top three most efficient trade gateways on the continent,” Shettima said. “The forthcoming implementation of the National Single Window in the first quarter of next year will be a game changer — a single platform that harmonises documentation, minimises human contact, and brings full transparency to the cargo clearance process.”
Senator Shettima also directed the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and other relevant agencies to produce a roadmap for strengthening the country’s weights and measures framework.
He said the framework is crucial for consumer protection and fairness in commercial transactions, ensuring that all weighing and measuring equipment used in trade are accurate and consistent with international standards.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), Zahrah Audu, emphasised that improving port efficiency is critical to Nigeria’s Ease of Doing Business agenda.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, also emphasized the importance of synergy among agencies, noting that ongoing reforms such as joint inspection and boarding are already yielding positive results.
