Nigeria’s National Single Window (NSW) platform has processed more than 39,000 trade-related applications within its first eight weeks of operation, marking a significant step in the country’s drive to digitize port and customs procedures.
The update was disclosed on Friday, May 22, 2026, during a briefing at the Nigeria Revenue Service headquarters in Lagos. Officials said the early performance of the platform reflects growing adoption by importers, customs agents, and freight operators since its phased rollout on March 27, 2026.
According to the NSW Secretariat, a total of 7,567 users have been onboarded onto the system, including importers, licensed agents, and logistics operators.
Breakdown of registered users shows 6,935 importers and traders, 359 clearing and forwarding agents, 169 licensed customs agents and 104 freight forwarders.
The platform is designed to centralize regulatory approvals and reduce delays associated with manual processing at ports.
Project officials said the system handled 39,039 Licences, Permits, Certificates and Other Documents (LPCOs) within the reporting period, routing applications electronically to relevant regulatory agencies.
Key agency performance includes:
- Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON): 30,937 applications
- National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC): 7,942 applications
- National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA): 138 applications
- Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service: 22 applications
The platform automatically assigns applications to relevant agencies, eliminating physical documentation movement between offices.
Officials acknowledged that the rollout initially faced delays and system bottlenecks as stakeholders adjusted to the new digital process. Some port operators reportedly experienced clearance backlogs in April, prompting calls for temporary relief measures to ease cargo storage pressures.
Despite these early challenges, authorities say system performance has improved steadily as integration issues are resolved.
The NSW platform has also begun processing air cargo manifests, with 136 submissions recorded from international carriers. DHL accounted for the majority of submissions, followed by Ethiopian Airlines and RwandAir.
Pilot testing is ongoing for sea cargo integration in partnership with global shipping operators, with full rollout expected in the coming months.
Government officials say the National Single Window is part of broader efforts to improve trade efficiency, reduce corruption risks, and enhance Nigeria’s ease of doing business ranking by consolidating multiple regulatory processes into a single digital gateway.
The platform is expected to expand further into export processing as Phase Two begins.
