The Federal Government has stepped up efforts to implement the National Single Window system across Nigeria’s ports by 2026.
Vice President Kashim Shettima said the initiative seeks to harmonise port documentation, reduce human contact, and improve transparency in cargo clearance, describing it as a “game changer” for port operations.
Speaking at the second meeting of the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee at the Presidential Villa, Shettima stated that the policy aims to significantly cut cargo clearance time.
“By the end of 2026, we aim to reduce the average cargo clearance time in Nigeria to under seven days,” he said, adding that the goal is to make Nigerian ports rank among the top three most efficient trade gateways in Africa.
He explained that the National Single Window, expected to take effect in the first quarter of 2026, would transform port operations nationwide.
The Vice President lamented that the cost of clearing goods in Nigeria remains 30 per cent higher than in many regional counterparts, warning that inefficiencies discourage investment, increase consumer prices, and erode export competitiveness.
“Our ports record cargo dwell times 475 per cent above the global average benchmark. We cannot afford to continue down this path,” he cautioned.
Shettima directed the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), NAFDAC, SON, and other relevant agencies to develop a roadmap for an effective weights and measures framework.
He said the framework would ensure fairness in trade by verifying weighing equipment and protecting consumers from fraud, stressing that accurate measurement is vital for efficiency and global trade standards.
Boosting Efficiency
Shettima expressed optimism that the pending Executive Order on Joint Physical Inspection, currently before President Bola Tinubu, would tackle long-standing bottlenecks in port operations.
“It marks the dawn of a new era where agencies work together and systems speak a common language,” he said, emphasising that the order would promote predictability, transparency, and speed.
He urged agencies to embrace collaboration, saying the era of working in silos was over.
“No reform succeeds without ownership,” he declared, calling on all port-related agencies — including NPA, Customs, NAFDAC, NDLEA, SON, Immigration, and Quarantine Service — to operate as a unified value chain.
“Inter-agency rivalry must give way to collaboration,” he stressed. “Our efficiency depends on how well we work together.”
The Director-General of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), Zahrah Audu, highlighted how inefficient port operations hamper Nigeria’s Ease of Doing Business ranking. She called on stakeholders to enhance efficiency, noting that the committee’s work demonstrates a shared commitment to making Nigerian ports globally competitive.
The Managing Director of the NPA, Abubakar Dantsoho, echoed this view, stating that efficiency cannot be achieved without synergy.
“Until there is collaboration and partnership, you cannot achieve efficiency at the ports,” he said.
Dantsoho added that the Customs and Ports Efficiency Committee has made progress through joint inspection and boarding by relevant agencies. He identified technology adoption, infrastructure upgrades, and human capacity development as key priorities for boosting competitiveness, ensuring Nigeria remains a major player in regional and global trade.