– Eyes $1trn economy boost
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that Nigeria’s long-awaited National Single Window, NSW, digital trade platform must go live by the first quarter of 2026, in what stakeholders say could significantly cut port delays, curb leakages, and attract global investors to Africa’s most populous nation.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, the President issued the marching orders during the fifth meeting of the NSW Steering Committee at the State House on Tuesday, describing the project as central to his economic transformation agenda.
“This is one of the President’s most transformative initiatives, and we must deliver on it. It will simplify trade, boost revenues, and restore confidence in Nigeria’s ability to do business transparently and efficiently.”
The NSW, first launched in April 2024, is designed to consolidate all import and export-related government processes and agencies onto a unified electronic platform. Its implementation is projected to drastically reduce port bottlenecks, slash trade costs, and improve Nigeria’s competitiveness on global trade indices.
The renewed urgency follows the June 2025 signing of landmark Tax Reform Acts, which Gbajabiamila said underscores the government’s determination to unlock a $1 trillion economy.
“It’s important that we continue to stay focused on this project so we meet our timelines and achieve the results the President expects,” he added.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, called for a shift from planning to execution, noting that while progress has been made, the next few months would require “swift, practical action.”
“This is a complex but transformational initiative. We’ve strategized enough. Now is the time for full implementation to strengthen investor confidence and trade efficiency.”
He stressed that the window would significantly improve customs processing and help Nigeria close leakages across various touchpoints in the trade value chain.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, echoed the call, urging committee members to “leave no stone unturned” in achieving the Q1 2026 go-live date.
“There must be no excuses. This project is too important to fail. Every agency must align and execute with urgency,” she said.
Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Chairman, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, said the President’s unwavering support had now been backed by law, cementing the Single Window as a legal and institutional priority.
“When we started last month, it was a proposal. Today, it is enshrined in law. That shows the speed and seriousness with which this administration is pursuing reform,” Adedeji said. “But the reward for hard work is more work, we must now double down on execution.”
Providing updates, NSW Project Director, Tola Fakolade confirmed that all Q2 2025 milestones had been met, with the system’s customization already underway.
“We are on track. Our teams are working diligently, and we remain committed to meeting the Phase 1 go-live target,” he assured.
The National Single Window is expected to unify over a dozen trade-related government agencies, including the Nigeria Customs Service, FIRS, and the Ministries of Trade and Finance, into a single digital interface, dramatically improving ease of doing business and revenue collection.
The successful deployment of the NSW could save Nigeria billions of Naira annually in lost revenues while positioning the country as a serious trade hub within the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.
