The Federal Government has intensified plans to fully implement the National Single Window (NSW) system across Nigeria’s ports by 2026 to boost efficiency, reduce human interference, and enhance transparency in cargo clearance.
Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed this yesterday at the second meeting of the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the system, set for rollout in the first quarter of next year, would cut average cargo clearance time from 21 days to less than seven, positioning Nigerian ports among Africa’s top three most efficient gateways.
“The forthcoming implementation of the NSW will be a game-changer — a single digital platform that harmonises documentation, minimises human contact and ensures full transparency in cargo processing,” Shettima said.
He directed agencies including the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to develop a roadmap to strengthen Nigeria’s weights and measures framework in line with global standards.
The Vice President lamented that cargo dwell time in Nigeria currently averages between 18 and 21 days, compared to five to seven in Ghana and just four in Cotonou.
“These inefficiencies cost us investments, raise consumer prices, and weaken our export competitiveness,” he said, adding that the proposed Executive Order on Joint Physical Inspection before President Bola Tinubu would enhance predictability and speed at the ports.
Shettima stressed that meaningful reform required institutional synergy, noting that “the era of siloed operations must end” and that agencies must embrace collaboration to achieve sustainable efficiency.
Director-General of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), Zahrah Audu, and Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, both reaffirmed their commitment to port reform.
They highlighted ongoing progress through joint inspection exercises, improved technology deployment, infrastructure upgrades and capacity development aimed at making Nigerian ports globally competitive and transparent.