FG accelerates digital trade overhaul as Single Window testing begins
The Federal Government has moved closer to delivering a fully digital, integrated and cost-saving trade system as it commenced User Acceptance Testing of the National Single Window with sector stakeholders ahead of the platform’s scheduled take-off in March 2026.
The testing, led by technology provider CrimsonLogic, exposed each participating agency to system navigation, onboarding steps and operational processes designed to reduce trade bottlenecks, eliminate duplication and unify documentation across the country’s import and export value chain.
Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and executive chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Dr Zacch Adedeji, visited the testing centres to assess progress and affirmed the government’s resolve to deliver a modern, technology-driven trade environment that supports revenue growth and improves ease of doing business.
The visit allowed agencies to validate system workflows, test functionalities, and align expectations ahead of deployment, reinforcing government commitment to a transparent and efficient trade framework.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the opening of the maiden Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade Summit in Abuja, announced that the National Single Window will go live in March 2026 and is expected to cut cargo clearance times from 21 days to fewer than seven, placing Nigeria in line with AfCFTA’s digital trade benchmarks and strengthening automation across ports.
Registrar and chief executive officer of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, Kingsley Igwe, noted that systems of this scale already operate in Singapore, South Korea and Rwanda and have proven successful in cutting paperwork, integrating agencies and speeding logistics.
He stated that full adoption could lower logistics costs by as much as 25 to 30 per cent, improve Nigeria’s competitiveness and attract new investments, while manufacturers, SMEs and freight forwarders will benefit from faster processing, reduced administrative burden and digitally tracked consignments.
Agencies represented at the inaugural testing session included the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, Nigeria Customs Service, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, as well as importers, exporters, clearing agents and freight forwarders.
