Single Window To Integrate With Customs’ B’Odogwu, Streamline Trade, Reduce Delays

The Director of the National Single Window Secretariat, Tola Fakolade, has assured stakeholders that the National Single Window Initiative will complement, not replace, existing trade platforms, including the Customs Service’s B’Odogwu platform.
Speaking after a series of sensitization sessions in Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Kano ahead of the platform’s official launch on March 27, 2026, Fakolade explained that the initiative will serve as a central coordinating hub, connecting all relevant trade systems and agencies into a seamless digital environment.
“The National Single Window allows traders and regulators to interact with multiple government agencies through a single digital entry point, eliminating repetitive documentation and reducing administrative bottlenecks,” he said.
Fakolade emphasized that the sensitization tour underscores the government’s commitment to building a technology-driven trade environment that reduces delays, enhances transparency, and strengthens Nigeria’s competitiveness in global commerce.
The two-day programs in each city were structured to cater to both public and private sector stakeholders. The first day focused on Customs officers, covering operational readiness, platform integration, and inter-agency collaboration. The second day engaged stakeholders across the trade value chain, including Licensed Customs Agents, freight forwarders, port operators, exporters, importers, and representatives of organized private sector associations.
“This initiative is not just a technology platform; it is a transformational reform designed to simplify trade processes, eliminate duplication, and significantly reduce the time it takes to complete import and export transactions,” Fakolade said, adding that the platform is in an advanced stage of readiness for the March 27 rollout.
He also reassured stakeholders about the platform’s interaction with existing digital systems, highlighting that collaboration between government institutions and the private sector will be key to the initiative’s success.
The sensitization sessions saw robust participation from leading trade associations, including the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, and the Importers Association of Nigeria, all of whom commended the proactive government engagement ahead of the launch.