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Customs agents seek clarification on status of B’Odogwu on National Single Window platform.

as project team meets stakeholders in Lagos.
Funso OLOJO, Editor 
Customs Licensed Agents, under the auspices of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents(ANLCA), have sought to know the position of B’ Odogwu, in the emerging National Single Window project set to be launched in April, 2026.
B’Odogwu is the Customs’ trade platform where customs procedures, including payment of customs duties, are conducted.
On the other hand, National Single Window project is the Federal government trade platform where imports and exports transactions will be conducted in a single and harmonised platform.
The first phase of the platform will be launched in April, 2026.
However, the Customs Agents raised the concerns at a meeting with the NSW project team  in Lagos where they were told the project will be in phases.
The Customs Agents and  expressed concerns about possible hiccups during the transition period when all other trade platforms are expected to migrate to the NSW.
Speaking through Mr. Kingsley Emenike, the National President of ANLCA, the Customs Agents  sought clarification on the phase where duties would be accessed through the Single Window and what that would mean for the role of Customs units such as the Odogwu platform.
The Customs Agents raised these concerns at the town hall meeting held on Tuesday, February 10th, 2026 where the NSW team, led by Mr Tola Fakolade, sensitised the stakeholders on the harmonised trade platform set to be launched in April, 2026.
The project team assured that the National Single Window will simplify Nigeria’s import and export processes, reduce delays, and eliminate the need for multiple document submissions at ports.
The assurance was given on Tuesday in Lagos during a town hall meeting with members of the Association of Nigeria Licensed.
 Fakolade explained that the initiative was conceived in line with global best practices championed by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).
He recalled that the idea gained momentum around April 16, 2024, with a clear objective: to make Nigeria’s import and export processes easier, faster, and less cumbersome for traders, customs brokers, licensed agents, and freight forwarders.
“The whole objective is how do we make import and export processes simpler for you,” Fakolade said.
 “The idea is that you will use only one platform for everything you need to do when it comes to import and export.”
According to him, the current system, despite some technological improvements across agencies, still forces users to log into multiple platforms to process permits, declarations, and other documentation.
“What we are doing now is bringing all of that into one platform,” he explained.
 “You log in once, complete everything you need to do on one platform, and submit all your documents only once.
” You don’t have to keep re-uploading your bill of lading and other documents on different systems.”
Fakolade said the NSW is designed to drive simplification, reduce duplication, cut delays, and make trade procedures more transparent and efficient for importers and their agents.
 He noted that the project has been developed over the last 18 months in collaboration with key stakeholders, including ANLCA, which he described as a major partner, adding that the association’s leadership has been very supportive of the initiative.
With the platform scheduled to go live before the end of the quarter, Fakolade said the town hall meeting was organised to ensure users clearly understand what is coming, how it will affect their daily operations, and how to prepare for the transition.
“We want to make sure there is clarity and proper understanding of what is going to change from the day we launch,” he said.
 “We also want to work together to ensure a successful launch.”
President of ANLCA, Mr. Kingsley Emenike Nwokeoji, welcomed the initiative, describing it as a long-overdue step towards ending the duplication of documents and multiple submissions that have plagued cargo clearance in Nigeria.
“What we are seeing so far is the political will of the present government to put an end to this multiplication of documents and submission of documents,” Nwokeoji said.
 “This programme is going to help us cover the functions of so many agencies of government.”
He pointed out that importers often deal with situations where a single product is regulated by two or even three government agencies, leading to repeated submissions and delays.
“With the single submission, whoever is raising any objection will do so on the same platform, and others will see why the cargo or process is being stopped. This will also help in time release,” he added.
Nwokeoji assured the project team of ANLCA’s support, praising the professionals driving the initiative and expressing confidence that the NSW would deliver the much-expected relief for practitioners.
“This will bring the relief we have been expecting, so that we can submit documents from the comfort of our offices and monitor the movement of our cargo,” he said.
However, he also raised key operational questions, particularly about the phased implementation of the system and its interaction with existing platforms.
He noted that the system would initially run side-by-side with the current platform and called for clear guidance on how that transition would work in practice.
In addition, the ANLCA president stressed the importance of training and user support, urging members to take advantage of available training centres across different locations to avoid the kind of confusion that often follows major system changes.
“We have gone through some of these transitions before. When some of us did not react early enough, we started running helter-skelter after launch,” he warned.
Members of the association also raised concerns during the interactive session, including fears of sabotage, possible network issues, manpower and skills gaps, and the integration of the Nigeria Customs Service’s B’ODOGWU system into the new platform.
Responding, Fakolade acknowledged that the National Single Window would not solve all challenges immediately at launch but insisted that it establishes a framework for sustained improvement and requires collective collaboration to succeed.
“We are laying the right foundation and putting the right processes in place,” he said.
 “The day we launch, we are not saying all issues in the import and export ecosystem will disappear. But it’s about starting the journey and ensuring that we all work together to drive adoption of the system.”
According to him, the NSW will offer a single interface for traders and agents, data harmonisation, improved transparency, e-payment, and centralised risk management.
On concerns about network reliability, Fakolade disclosed that support centres equipped with multiple internet service providers would be rolled out across major ports in the country.
He said this is part of broader efforts to reduce clearance costs and curb the diversion of Nigeria-bound cargo to neighbouring countries.
The Lagos town hall meeting ended with a renewed call for collaboration between government and the private sector, as both sides prepare for what is expected to be a major shift in the way trade is conducted at Nigeria’s ports.
 Stakeholders expressed optimism that, if successfully implemented and widely adopted, the National Single Window could mark a turning point in Nigeria’s quest for a more efficient, transparent, and competitive trade environment.
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Analyses

The invisible toll gates:Why National Single Window is Nigeria’s ultimate economic battleground

Monday Discourse with  Ibrahim Nasiru
Walk into any market in Nigeria today, from the commercial hubs of Lagos to the roadside stalls in Yola, and ask why a bag of rice or an imported spare part costs three times what it did last year.
The typical public commentator will blame global inflation, floating currencies, or macro-economic shocks.
But those who understand logistics know the real truth lies buried under layers of paper, manual stamps, and artificial delays at our seaports.
Nigeria’s international trade is suffocating not from a lack of deep water, but from a deliberate design of convenience.
The recent operational rollout of the National Single Window (NSW) has triggered behind-the-scenes panic among Port cartels, and for good reason.
For decades, keeping our clearing processes fragmented, manual, and dependent on desk-to-desk human interaction was the perfect business model for syndicates.
When cargo dwell times drag on for 21 days, those delays are money in the pockets of the gatekeepers and a death sentence for local businesses.
Let us look at the raw field realities. The push by the Nigeria Customs Service to aggressively crash clearance times down to global 48-hour standards is meeting fierce internal resistance.
Why? Because a unified digital ecosystem means you cannot easily manipulate documentation, hide illicit cargo, or demand “mobilization fees” before signing off a container.
The outcry and protests from certain freight-forwarding syndicates aren’t about technical glitches; they are about the sudden closure of invisible toll gates.
This is exactly why governance at our national gateways can no longer be left to the mercy of transactional bureaucratic habits.
Building deep-sea infrastructure like Lekki Port is a massive physical achievement, but concrete and cranes are useless if the administrative processes at the gate remain backward.
 Real structural reform requires turning our Ports into automated, friction-free pipelines that prioritize production over rent-seeking.
If Nigeria wants to survive this fiscal squeeze, the National Single Window cannot just be treated as another glossy IT project launched in Abuja.
 It requires unyielding administrative enforcement to completely dismantle the corrupt cartels managing the manual desk chains.
The invisible toll gates at our Ports must be completely demolished, and that exact same structural discipline must be scaled across our border stations and trade corridors.
The era of managing international trade with 20th-century paper trails is dying. The future belongs to the builders of automated, transparent systems.
Chief Ibrahim Nasiru, a public affairs analyst,  writes from Abuja 
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Headlines

NANTA Exco embarks on seven-day Ghana retreat, fam trip to deepen regional tourism partnership

Gloria Odion, Reporter

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) has commenced a seven-day executive retreat and familiarisation (fam) trip to Ghana, hosted by Safari World, as part of efforts to strengthen regional tourism partnerships and expand cross-border travel opportunities.

The NANTA delegation was received at Safari World Homes in Accra by the Chairman of the Safari World Group, Mr. Ernest Gyekye, who expressed delight at hosting the Nigerian travel trade leaders.

He assured the delegation of a memorable experience throughout their week-long stay.

Speaking on the significance of the visit, NANTA President, Mr. Yinka Folami, described the retreat and familiarisation tour as a strategic initiative aimed at fostering stronger business relationships and promoting collaborative tourism development across Africa.

“This mission is not a leisure trip,” Folami said. “It is a deliberate step to implement and expand our association’s marketing advocacy for Nigerian brands across borders.”

He noted that Nigeria and Ghana share deep historical, cultural and commercial ties that should be leveraged to drive tourism growth on the continent.

“Nigeria and Ghana share history, culture, trade and people. The future of our tourism cannot be built in silos,” he said.

“This retreat is about moving from policy to practice—creating real products, real partnerships and real movement of travellers between Accra and Lagos.”

As part of the programme, the NANTA executives will engage in strategic business-to-business (B2B) meetings with their Ghanaian counterparts, tour key tourism destinations under the Safari World brand, and participate in cultural exchange activities designed to promote stronger bilateral tourism cooperation.

The itinerary spans Safari World’s three flagship destinations, including Safari Homes in Accra, the Aqua Safari riverfront experience, Safari Island Cruise, Safari Nautica, and Safari Recreation and Sports facilities in Ada, as well as the Safari Valley Eco Resort and Safari Eco Park in Dawu.

Operating under the brand promise, “One World, Three Destinations, Over 20 Unique Experiences,” Safari World is leveraging the visit to strengthen its footprint in the Nigerian travel market while positioning Ghana as a premier destination for leisure tourism, conferences, group travel, family holidays and premium tourism experiences.

A major highlight of the visit will be the Executive Dinner scheduled for July 21 at the Safari Valley Eco Resort, where key stakeholders from Nigeria and Ghana’s tourism industries will deliberate on strategies for deepening travel trade and advancing regional tourism development.

The familiarisation tour is expected to provide NANTA’s leadership with first-hand knowledge of Safari World’s tourism offerings, paving the way for the development of attractive travel packages and stronger business partnerships that will benefit Nigerian travellers and the wider West African tourism industry.

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Customs

Ogun Customs spurns claims of Smugglers’ takeover of Idiroko–Sango Ota trading Route

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has dismissed as false reports alleging that smugglers had taken over the Idiroko–Sango Ota trading route in Ogun State, describing the claims as a deliberate misrepresentation of a traffic incident.
In a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs (SC) Chado, the Command clarified that the traffic gridlock on the route resulted from the breakdown of an articulated commercial trailer after it fell into a badly deteriorated section of Atan Road, temporarily obstructing the free flow of traffic.
According to the Command, the vehicles caught in the ensuing congestion were legitimate commercial trucks transporting red palm oil to various local markets and had no connection whatsoever with smuggling activities.
It explained that the large number of heavy-duty trucks trapped in the gridlock may have led some members of the public to wrongly conclude that smugglers had taken over the road.
“The reports that smugglers blocked the road are inaccurate. The disruption resulted from a road accident and poor road conditions. The vehicles involved were lawful commercial vehicles transporting red palm oil for legitimate trade,” Chado stated.
The Command urged journalists, social media users and the general public to verify information before disseminating reports capable of creating unnecessary panic or undermining public confidence in security agencies.
Observers within the border trade sector noted that the allegation does not reflect the prevailing security situation within the Ogun I Area Command, where anti-smuggling operations have been intensified under the leadership of the Acting Customs Area Controller, Comptroller O.O. Afeni.
Since assuming office, Comptroller Afeni has strengthened intelligence-driven surveillance, enhanced collaboration with other security agencies and host communities, and sustained pressure on economic saboteurs operating along the Ogun border corridors.
These measures, according to stakeholders, have resulted in significant seizures of prohibited goods and reinforced the Command’s resolve to safeguard Nigeria’s economy and territorial integrity.
Maritime and border trade stakeholders also cautioned against the spread of unverified information capable of undermining the efforts of security personnel or creating a false impression of lawlessness in border communities.
They stressed that while combating smuggling remains an ongoing responsibility, responsible and accurate reporting is equally critical to ensuring that operational achievements are not overshadowed by misinformation.
The Ogun I Area Command reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining its anti-smuggling campaign while facilitating legitimate cross-border trade in line with the statutory mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service.

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