FG Launches Pilot Testing for National Single Window System
The Federal Government has commenced the National Single Window User Acceptance Testing with the first cohort of participating stakeholders, marking a major step toward ensuring the unified, technology-driven trade ecosystem becomes operational by March 2026.
The technology vendor, CrimsonLogic, guided each agency and stakeholder through the NSW’s onboarding process, system navigation features and the operational framework designed to streamline the country’s trade processes, according to a statement from the firm on Tuesday.
The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Dr Zacch Adedeji, visited the UAT grounds to assess the level of progress recorded so far.
Representatives from key regulatory and trade bodies participated in the inaugural session, including the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, as well as importers, exporters, clearing agents and freight forwarders.
The engagement provided the organisations an opportunity to test system functionalities, validate workflows and align expectations ahead of the platform’s deployment. The commencement of testing brings Nigeria closer to achieving a fully operational NSW, with the objective of harmonising documentation, reducing trade costs and eliminating duplication across government agencies.
The visit by Edun and Adedeji highlighted the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring the successful implementation of the NSW initiative, which is expected to transform Nigeria’s trade ecosystem through a unified digital platform that integrates all trade-related processes.
During the tour, the minister and the FIRS chairman visited each breakout room and engaged directly with participating agencies to understand their experiences during the testing phase. Both Edun and Adedeji expressed satisfaction with the level of progress and commended the collaborative effort exhibited by the ministries, departments and agencies involved. They also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to driving a modern, transparent and technology-enabled trade environment for the country.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the opening ceremony of the maiden Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade Summit on Monday in Abuja, assured delegates from over 30 African countries that the NSW would go live in March 2026.
Tinubu said the NSW would significantly reduce clearance timelines from 21 days to below seven, ensuring Nigeria aligns with the Africa Continental Free Trade Area’s digital trade requirements and positioning the country as a standard-setter in port automation.
The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of CRFFN, Kingsley Igwe, had earlier explained at a stakeholders’ engagement forum jointly organised by the Nigeria Customs Service and the National Single Window Secretariat in Lagos that the digital platform has already been adopted in Singapore, South Korea and Rwanda, where it integrates all trade-related agencies and processes into a single digital system, cutting duplication, paperwork and delays.
Igwe highlighted the economic benefits of full adoption, stating that it could reduce logistics costs by 25–30 per cent while boosting Nigeria’s competitiveness in global trade and attracting new investments.
He added that the system would empower manufacturers through faster clearance of raw materials and equipment, support small and medium-sized enterprises by simplifying access to trade tools and enable freight forwarders to track consignments digitally with fewer operational bottlenecks.
“The National Single Window will lower the cost of doing business, enhance supply chain visibility and give Nigeria a stronger footing in the global market,” Igwe added.