‘Single Window Will Not Replace Customs Processes At Seaports, Airports ‘

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has clarified that the National Single Window (NSW) platform, scheduled for implementation in the first quarter of 2026, will not replace existing Customs procedures.

The clarification was made by the National Public Relations Officer of the service, Abdullahi Maiwada, during the 10th Annual Seminar for Maritime Journalists organised by First Mediacon Network Limited.

Maiwada explained that all statutory Customs requirements must be completed before importers or exporters can proceed to the NSW platform.

According to him, traders’ transactions must pass through established Customs processes before they can be cleared on the NSW system.

“The Nigeria Customs Service is totally involved in the NSW project. Our ICT team are working closely with the NSW team,” he said.

He continued, “Single window will not take away Customs formalities, including post clearance audits, Pre Arrival Assessment Result (PAAR) but to put all agencies on a single platform,” he noted.

However, Customs agents have asked the NSW development team to ensure that the platform provides for transparency and interconnectivity among the agencies involved in trade.

In his presentation, a former acting President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Dr Kayode Farinto said the NSW should be implemented with every relevant stakeholder onboarded from the very beginning to avoid unnecessary cost burdens on importers.

“The NSW should have interconnectivity among all agencies playing a role in the international trade chain. Currently, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), for instance, charges no less than N3,000 for cargo examination. The SON issues SONCAP and its role should be to examine the cargo and ensure that it complies with the SONCAP issued to the importer. It is not a revenue agency,” Farinto, the chief executive of Wealthy Honey Investment, stated.

“The NSW must not come with the same teething problems we suffered with B’Odogwu, which cost importers over N7 billion and nobody is saying anything. There must be attitudinal change among government agencies and licensed customs agents.”

Founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr Boniface Aniebonam, called for a standard globally accepted Customs documentation process, questioning the suitability of PAAR in the NSW configuration.

“What we have today as PAAR and Customs verification documentations are not standard practices. ASCUDA 2.7 showed to be better than what we have now. We are calling on the Nigeria Customs Service to go back to the drawing board,” said Aniebonam, who was represented by Dr Uche Increase, a former national president of the association.

Speaking earlier, the executive secretary and CEO of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Dr Pius Akutah, stated that as the sector digitalises, journalism must evolve to ensure transparency and accountability.

Akutah who was represented by director of Special Duties Moses Abere, reiterated the Council’s commitment, as the Port Economic Regulator, to promoting efficiency, transparency, and competitiveness in the sector.

“As the maritime sector grows more complex, driven by digitalisation, new trade realities, regulatory reforms, and global logistical shifts, journalism must evolve accordingly,” Akutah said.

In his welcome address, CEO of First Mediacon Network Limited, Sesan Onileimo highlighted the urgent need for maritime journalists to upscale their knowledge, particularly in an era dominated by artificial intelligence, digitalisation, and social media.

“All of these developments have combined to put journalists under intense pressure to report factual information promptly while remaining relevant. “The Centre has been established to bridge this gap, ensuring maritime journalists, regardless of experience, remain equipped to deliver accurate, impactful reporting, ” he said.