Joyce Mmereole Okoli
After more than a decade of failed attempts to implement an international trade Single Window system in Nigeria, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has outlined key challenges that have hindered progress and proposed solutions for success.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum on the National Single Window (NSW) implementation in Lagos on Tuesday, Adeniyi emphasized that a unified, multi-agency approach is essential to making the system work.
He called for strong government backing and active collaboration among all stakeholders, including the private sector, financial institutions, and regulatory agencies.
The World Customs Organization (WCO) defines the Single Window as a trade facilitation system that allows businesses to submit all necessary documentation through a single entry point to meet import, export, and transit requirements. By streamlining interactions with government authorities, it reduces delays and costs in cross-border trade.
Since 2014, Nigeria has made two attempts to implement the Single Window, but both failed due to institutional and technological challenges.
Represented at the forum by the head of Customs Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Deputy Comptroller Kikelomo Adeola, Adeniyi identified key obstacles, including:
– Fragmented technological systems that prevented seamless integration.
– Institutional bottlenecks and lack of coordination among government agencies.
– Misaligned stakeholder expectations leading to conflicts.
– Inadequate physical and technological infrastructure to support digital transformation.
“While these obstacles have slowed our progress, they have also provided invaluable lessons that shaped the roadmap for future success,” Adeniyi stated.
He noted that past failures were largely due to an overemphasis on technology without adequately addressing the human and operational aspects of the system.
To ensure the successful implementation of the National Single Window, Adeniyi stressed the need for:
– A Unified National Strategy: The Single Window should not be viewed as a Customs initiative alone but as a collective national effort supported by all relevant agencies and stakeholders.
– Process Reengineering and Capacity Building: Beyond deploying advanced digital platforms, there must be a focus on training, change management, and ensuring interoperability with existing systems.
– Continuous Stakeholder Engagement: Past efforts failed due to limited collaboration and inadequate communication, which eroded trust and increased resistance. Moving forward, a more inclusive approach is needed, with stakeholders actively involved in system design and evaluation.
– Legal and Policy Harmonization: The regulatory framework must be aligned to eliminate redundancies, ensure transparency, and enhance Nigeria’s compliance with international trade agreements.
As Nigeria moves to implement the Single Window system, the Customs chief reaffirmed the importance of political will, institutional commitment, and long-term policy consistency.
“If we are to achieve a functional Single Window system, we must harmonize the legal landscape, eliminate ambiguities, and institute policies that promote transparency, accountability, and efficiency,” Adeniyi said.
With a renewed focus on collaboration and strategic reforms, the Nigeria Customs Service is optimistic that the long-awaited Single Window system can finally become a reality, boosting efficiency in trade and revenue collection.