President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has set the first quarter of 2026 as the deadline for the full implementation of the National Single Window (NSW) project, a flagship digital trade reform initiative aimed at streamlining Nigeria’s import and export operations.
According to a statement by the Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, the directive was conveyed at the fifth meeting of the NSW Steering Committee held on Tuesday at the State House, Abuja. President Tinubu was represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Gbajabiamila emphasized the urgency of the project, linking it to recent tax reform laws signed in June and Nigeria’s goal of achieving a $1 trillion economy. “This project is one of the transformative initiatives of Mr. President, which we must ensure is implemented effectively and commendably,” he said.
He noted that the NSW will boost investment, increase trade revenues, improve transparency, and elevate Nigeria’s global trade credibility. He urged agencies to align their targets and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure the platform goes live by Q1 2026.
“Since our last meeting in April, all stakeholders should have made significant progress in line with their KPIs. We must stay focused and meet our deadlines,” Gbajabiamila added.
Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, acknowledged progress so far but stressed the need for faster execution. “This is a complex but transformational project. We must now shift from planning to implementation,” he said.
Also speaking, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, called on the committee to meet the deadline without fail, while Dr. Zacch Adedeji, Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), thanked the President for his consistent support.
“The reward for hard work is more work. The Single Window has now been signed into law. We must remain committed,” Adedeji said.
Providing a project update, Tola Fakolade, Director of the NSW Project, reported that all second-quarter 2025 milestones have been achieved and that platform customisation is underway. He assured stakeholders that the team remains on track to meet the rollout timeline.
Launched in April 2024, the National Single Window is a federal initiative designed to unify all trade-related government agencies under a single digital platform. The platform is expected to reduce trade costs, minimize delays, and improve transparency and efficiency at Nigerian ports.
The NSW Steering Committee includes representatives from the Ministries of Trade and Investment, Finance, FIRS, and the Nigeria Customs Service.
