The Federal Government has announced plans to fully implement the National Single Window policy by 2026 to enhance transparency, reduce human contact, and improve cargo clearance efficiency at Nigeria’s ports.
Vice President Kashim Shettima made the announcement on Thursday during the second meeting of the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said the initiative aims to cut cargo clearance time from the current average of 21 days to under seven days and position Nigerian ports among the top three most efficient trade gateways in Africa by the end of 2026.
“The forthcoming implementation of the National Single Window in the first quarter of next year will be a game changer,” Shettima stated. “It will harmonize documentation, minimize human contact, and bring full transparency to the cargo clearance process.”
The Vice President expressed concern over Nigeria’s poor port efficiency, noting that cargo dwell time in the country averages between 18 to 21 days, compared to Ghana and Benin Republic where clearance takes between four to seven days. He also lamented that the cost of clearing goods in Nigeria is 30 percent higher than in many neighbouring countries.
“These inefficiencies cost us investments, increase consumer prices, and weaken our export competitiveness. We simply cannot afford to continue down this path,” he said.
Shettima directed the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and other relevant agencies to develop a roadmap to strengthen the nation’s weights and measures framework. The framework, he said, is crucial to ensuring fairness in trade and consumer protection.
He also urged government agencies to end inter-agency rivalry and adopt a unified approach to port management. “The era of siloed operations must end. Inter-agency rivalry must give way to inter-agency synergy,” he said, emphasizing that effective collaboration would determine the success of port reforms.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), Princess Zahrah Audu, stressed that inefficiencies at the ports negatively impact Nigeria’s ease of doing business rankings. She commended the efforts of the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee for driving reforms aimed at making Nigeria’s ports globally competitive.
Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, also highlighted ongoing efforts to improve port operations through technology adoption, human capacity development, and joint inspections among agencies. He said collaboration remains key to achieving efficiency and reducing bottlenecks for importers and exporters.
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The Vice President expressed optimism that the Executive Order on Joint Physical Inspection, currently before President Bola Tinubu, would further streamline port operations and mark “the dawn of a new era” in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
