By 2026, the Federal Government has made more efforts to put the National Single Window into effect in Nigeria’s ports.
According to Vice President Kashim Shettima, the initiative aims to harmonise port records, lessen human contact, and improve cargo clearance transparency.
He referred to the strategy as a “game changer” for port operations.
Shettima stated that the policy intends to significantly shorten the time to clear cargoes at the Presidential Villa during its second meeting.
We want to cut the average time for cargo clearance in Nigeria from seven days to the end of 2026, he said.
According to him, the goal is to place Nigerian ports among Africa’s top three most effective trade centers.
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He noted that port operations across the nation would be transformed by the introduction of the National Single Window in the first quarter of 2026.
Shettima lamented that Nigeria charges 30% more for goods clearing than many regional competitors, noting that these errors lead to higher consumer prices, lower investment costs, and lower export competitiveness.
Our ports consistently have longer cargo dwell times than the average on the planet. He said, “We cannot afford to go down this path.”
The Vice President ordered the NPA, NCS, NAFDAC, SON, and other organizations to create a roadmap for a robust weights and measures framework.
He added that the framework would verify weighing equipment and protect consumers from fraud to ensure fairness in trade.
He believes that precise measurement is essential for efficiency and international trade standards.
Increasing Efficiency
Shettima expressed hope that the pending President Bola Tinubu’s Executive Order on Joint Physical Inspection would address long-standing bottlenecks.
He said, “This is the start of a new era where systems communicate effectively and agencies collaborate.”
He emphasized that port operations would be speedily, transparent, and predictably governed by the new order.
The Vice President urged agency synergy, claiming that the days of working alone were over.
He remarked that “no reform succeeds without ownership.”
He urged all port-related organizations to operate as a single value chain, including NPA, Customs, NAFDAC, NDLEA, SON, Immigration, and Quarantine Service.
He argued that “inter-agency rivalry must replace collaboration.” Our effectiveness is determined by our cooperativeness.
Zahrah Audu, the director-general of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), made a point about how poor port operations affect the ease of doing business.
She urged stakeholders to increase efficiency and stressed that the committee’s efforts reflect a shared desire to compete with Nigeria’s ports on a global scale.
Mr. Abubakar Dantsoho, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, emphasized that synergy is essential for efficiency.
You can’t work efficiently at ports without collaboration and partnership, he said.
He noted that the relevant agencies’ joint inspection and boarding have led to progress being tracked by the Customs and Ports Efficiency Committee.
To increase port competitiveness, Dantsoho identified technology adoption, infrastructure upgrades, and human capacity development as top priorities.
