By Providence Ayanfeoluwa

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Adewale Adeniyi, has identified and proffered solution to hydra-headed factors that have undermined the implementation of international trade Single Window in Nigeria.

Recall that in 2024, President Bola Tinubu, inaugurated the NSW project to boost trade in Nigeria, and on January 28, 2025, the federal government announced plans to implement the National single window, NSW system to reduce the cost of doing business at Nigerian ports by at least 25 percent.

Reacting, Adeniyi said that for the National Single Window to work in Nigeria, all relevant agencies in the country’s trade and revenue system must embrace a singular purpose backed by an unwavering government support, ensuring that the single window is not perceived as sole mandate, but as a national strategy supported by all stakeholders, including the private sector, financial institutions, and regulatory agencies.

His words: “The centrality of customs in this ecosystem is undeniable, but success requires a symbiotic relationship where each stakeholder plays its path with precision and commitment technology has often been cited as the cornerstone of the single window system but technology alone is not the solution.

“The deployment of advanced digital platforms must be accompanied by meticulous process reengineering, capacity building, and proper change management. Past efforts in Nigeria have failed due to over-emphasis on technology without adequately addressing the human and operational dimensions. A successful single window system must reflect the peculiarities of Nigeria’s trade environment, incorporating user friendly designs, inter-operability with existing systems and scalability to accommodate future growth.”

According to Adeniyi, who was represented at the event by the head of Customs Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Deputy Comptroller General, DCG of Customs, Kikelomo Adeola, past attempts to build the NSW failed due to challenges ranging from fragmented technological systems and institutional bottlenecks to misaligned stakeholder expectation and inadequate physical and technological infrastructure.

“While these obstacles have slowed our progress, they have also provided invaluable lessons that shaped the roadmap for future sources. A critical reflection on past attempt reveals the necessity of a unified vision driven by strong political will and institutional committee, fragmentation in leadership and inconsistent policy direction, which undermined the effectiveness of earlier initiatives”.

He said that continuous stakeholder engagement must be at the heart of the implementation process, adding that previous initiative suffered from limited collaboration and inadequate communication, which bridge the trust gap and soften resistance among stakeholders.

“So a successful single window system must prioritize inclusivity with active consultation and collaboration among government agencies, private sectors, and development partners. This development must include consultation and involve co-creation where stakeholders actively contribute to system design and evaluation.

“As we forge ahead, we must harmonize the legal landscape. Eliminating redundancy is an ambiguity while instituting and possible policies that promote transparency accountability and efficiency. This legal alignment will not only facilitate system implementation, but also booster Nigeria compliance and international trade agreements and standards,” he said