Headlines

NSW: a platform of pains, tears as importers, agents recount bitter experiences

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The National Single Window (NSW), a digitalized single trade platform meant to be a one- stop- shop for faster and seemless platform for goods clearance at the Nigerian ports, is gradually turning into a single window of pains, tears and lamentation for the trading public.

Initiated by the Federal government to boost trade facilitation at the ports through harmonization of all the trading platforms and their agencies into one single platform, the NSW was launched with fanfare on March 24th, 2026.

Its launch was met with expectations and high hopes by importers, exporters and the clearing agents who believed and hoped the digital platform will put an end to delays in good clearance, enhance faster and seemless cargo clearance and lead to reduced cost of doing business at the ports.

However , the reverse has been the case ever since the digital platform went live on March 27th, 2026.

It has been a tale of woes and lamentation from the members of the trading public who claimed the platform, which was supposed to enhance their transactions, has come to distort the clearing process it is meant to improve.

The introduction of the platform has triggered system glitches which have made it difficult for transactions and entries to be uploaded on the NSW platform in real time, thereby trapping goods at the ports that are daily accumulating demurrages.

For the little entries being uploaded on the portal, it has been marked by long and agonizing delays with attendant costs.

At the one -day seminar organized by a group of maritime journalists under the aegis of Media Anti-Corruption Initiative (MACI) held on Wednesday, April 15th, 2026 in Lagos, participants came hard on the NWS steering committee Chairman, Dr Zacch Adedeji, the project National coordinator, Tola Fakolade and the whole team for poor preparations and sensitisation of stakeholders.

They claimed that if adequate trials of the new single electronic platform was done, all the so -called teething problems which have now hobbled the performance and efficiency of the new initiative could have been identified and resolved before the launch date.

” But because they are more interested in keeping to the first quarter of 2026 deadline given to them by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, they paid little attention to details” one of the speakers at the seminar alledged.

At the MACI seminar, under the theme: National Single Window: Strategies to avert failure, importers, exporters and customs licensed agents recounted their unpalatable experiences under the NSW regime.

Alhaji Akeem Adebayo Ayobiojo, a freight forwarder and one of the speakers at the event, gave a vivid details of the agonizing delays they were being subjected to under the NSW .

He disclosed that at NAFDAC and SON offices, two of the government agencies operating under the NSW, there is a backlog of documents waiting to be uploaded on the NSW platform.

For instance, he said there are more than 5,000 SON CAPS certificates waiting to be uploaded into NSW platform.

“As Customs Licensed Agents and freight forwarders, we know what we have experienced and still experiencing under the NSW project.

” We have been having issues of uploading our documents of NAFDAC and SON on the NSW platform.

” Last week Monday, I and my colleague went to SON office to go and lodge complaint about our inability to upload our SONCAP certificate on the NSW platform and we were told that they have over 5,000 such documents in their system waiting to be uploaded on the NSW platform.

“We could not upload the document until Thursday , about a week delay.

“We have similar issue with NAFDAC. We went to NAFDAC office at Oshodi where they directed us to their Yaba office and they told us that they have similar delays.

“NAFDAC had to create a special platform in their office where they collate the backlog of documents meant to be uploaded on NSW platform.

“It took us days before we could also upload our NAFDAC documents on NSW platform.

” This has been the daily occurrence since the project commenced as we experience delays, demurrages .

” There are other challenges like that which we are still grappling with under the NSW on daily basis” Alhaji Ayobiojo declared in an agonizing voice.

Dr Segun Musa, a frontline importer, freight forwarder and the National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders( NAGAFF) pointed out that lack of proper training and capacity building by NSW project team has caused the present hardship being experienced by members of the trading public.

Dr Musa, who spoke through his representative, Dr Mark Onuchi, in his lead paper at the seminar, expressed fears that if these issues are not tackled with all seriousness they deserve, the NSW project might be ‘dead on arrival’.

” Neglecting these basics had spelt dooms for many such initiatives.

“As UNCTAD reports warn, about 70 percent of trade facilitation efforts falter when training and capacity are inadequate.

“We cannot afford Nigeria’s NSW to be “dead on arrival”, he warned.

To make the NSW succeds, Musa advised that government should prioritize system and infrastructure upgrade, training of key personnel such as port managers, customs officers and other relevant stakeholders.

“A holistic reform is required to aggressively champion the needed impact if Nigeria must succeed.

“To avert failure, we must master the fundamentals. First, training state actors is crucial.

“Trade facilitation literature shows inadequate training underlies the

majority of failed implementations (UNCTAD, 2022).

“Customs officials, port managers and other key personnel need in-depth, hands-on workshops on the

new system’s functions.

“Second, a holistic policy framework is required. Our NSW must integrate customs, ports, health, environment and industry regulations.

“Evidence suggests that integrated policy reforms can boost trade throughput by roughly 20–30 percent.

“Without alignment (e.g., contradictory agency rules), delays will persist despite new software.

“Third, infrastructure readiness is non-negotiable. In Africa, fragmented road and logistics networks already impose a heavy toll – on the order of ~2% of GDP

annually.

“Nigeria loses a significant portion of potential growth to bottlenecks at

ports, roads, and power supply.

“We must parallel NSW software with physical upgrades: reliable broadband at every border checkpoint, 24/7 electricity at processing centers, and sufficient warehousing at ports.

” Fourth, system automation and interoperability must be end-to-end”

” The time to act is now: let us invest in training, integrate our policies, build robust infrastructure, digitize end-to- end, and enforce integrity.

“By doing so, we will ensure the Single Window is not just launched, but launched for success” Dr Musa observed.

The Customs representative at the event expressed fears that if these delays as being experienced by the freight forwarders under the NSW persist, it may affect the capacity of the Customs to meet its 2026 revenue target.

These delays have trapped some cargoes at the terminals where they are daily accumulating demurrages.

The NSW team led by its Steering committee Chairman, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, had last week sought the intervention of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to prevail on the terminal operators to waive demurrages on the cargoes caught in the system glitches triggered by the NSW.

Stakeholders at the MACI event confirmed that they are yet to see the impart of such appeal as the terminal operators are yet to acceed to the request of the NSW team for waivers.

PTML, one of the terminal operators, has unequivocally told the project team that its request for waivers will only be processed to determine the category of cargo that will enjoy the grace as the terminal was not ready to grant blanket waivers.

Headlines

May Day: Mobereola salutes maritime workers for passion, dedication to building virile industry

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter

The Director – General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, has saluted the courage , passion and dedication of maritime workers to building strong and virile industry.

In his message at the Workers’ day on May 1st, 2026, the NIMASA DG extolled the virtues of workers and acknowledged the distinguished service of various stakeholders whose efforts he noted continue to significantly contribute to the development of the Nigerian maritime industry.

Dr. Mobereola, while wishing stakeholders a Happy Workers’ Day said “to all the amazing officers and stakeholders in the maritime sector who bring their passion and expertise to work daily.

“Thank you for your dedication and invaluable contributions”.

He emphasized that as a regulator, the Agency remains committed to its oversight function of regulating maritime labour activities in the industry in line with extant instruments and the expectations of the theme of the 2026 Workers’ Day, which focuses on safety, dignity and productivity.

Customs

Kaila, Seme Customs CAC, seeks collaboration with stakeholders to achieve seemless trade along border corridor

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The new Area Controller of the Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Abdullahi Kaila, has reached out to traditional rulers and sister agencies at the border communities to ensure the achievement of his mandate of detection, determent of smuggling, revenue generation and trade facilitation along the border corridor.

To achieve these objectives, Comptroller Kaila went on tour of the communities within the border corridor where he met and sought for the support and cooperation of major critical stakeholders, including the traditional rulers and sister agencies.

According to him, his objective was to eradicate trade hindrances affecting free movement of goods and services along the Lagos-Abidjan business corridor.

Speaking at the Palace of Oba Akran of Badagry Kingdom, the Customs Area Controller condoled with the royal family and entire people of Badagry kingdom on the passing away of HRM De Wheno Aholu Menu Toyi I who was a well recognized traditional ruler across the border communities.

“”The purpose of my visit is to introduce myself as the Area Controller of Seme Command and to equally seek your royal blessing and support to achieve the core mandate of the service.

“Our priority remains to generate revenue, facilitate trade, and suppress smuggling.

“And we in the Customs believe that without due support and co-operation from traditional rulers, we can not have effective performance of our functions as Customs officers” he said

The King Regent, Chief Abel Ogunbiyi, who described Kaila as the son of the soil, added that “We have listened to your request.

” Know that Badagry is a very peaceful town, and we will keep collaborating with you in safeguarding our borders and in promoting legitimate trade, ” he stated.

Comptroller Kaila also visited the Onibereko of Ibereko Awori-Kingdom, where the monarch, Oba Israel Okoya, signifies his commitment to fostering the service relationship with residents living within the border communities

“I welcome you to Badagry and be rest assured that I will always talk to my people whenever the need is required.

” In our town, our youth does not engage in illegalities as I have no other choice than to assist you in achieving the government mandate, ” he mentioned

While at the Palace of Alapa of Apa Kingdom, the king HRM Oba Oyekan Ajose Ilufemiloye commended and described the CAC, Comptroller Kaila as a professional, seasoned and well respected officer as described by indigenes of border communities.

“I promise you that I will always assist you in my area for anything that you need.

“Our border here has been peaceful because our youth always listen to the elders, and I know with your presence here, things will change for the better, ” he said

In his efforts to consolidate on existing synergy between sister security agencies, Kaila also visited Headquarters of 653 Nigerian Air force base, Ahanve-Badagry.

The Commanding Officer, Group Captain Hungruy Medugu,expressed the readiness of the formation to always support the command in achieving its mandate.

“Our collaboration has been key to various successes we have recorded in our area of responsibility.

” Your presence here strengthens existing bonds of inter-agency collaboration between both Services, and we will not take it for granted ,” he said

The Area Controller then ended his familirisation tour with seeking for mutual cooperation with a visit to the Republic of Benin Police office, showing his readiness to eradicate hindrances affecting the free movement of goods and services across the border.

Headlines

Opeifa decries encroachment on NRC properties across the country

— praises collaboration with Abia, Enugu govts.

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr. Kayode Opeifa, has reiterated his displeasure over the widespread practice of encroachment on the properties of the Nigerian Railways Corporation across the country, warning that such action would not be tolerated by his administration.

Opeifa was speaking during the separate meetings he recently had with the governments of both Abia and Enugu states.

Represented by the Railway District Manager, Eastern District, Mr. Agwonye Francis Ejike, the NRC boss quickly condemned the occupation of the Corporation’s right- of – way by squatters in Umuahia, while correcting the wrongly- held belief that the Railway is defunct.

Opeifa however applauded the cordial and collaborative relationship between the Corporation and the governments of both Abia and Enugu.

According to him, such productive harmony can only yield even greater positive results for the benefit of the people.

During the Umuahia meeting, Dr. Opeifa strongly praised the Abia State Government for its crucial assistance in clearing the NRC’s right-of-way within Umuahia.

He reiterated unequivocally that no one is permitted to build any structure on railway property without obtaining express approval from his office.

Appealing directly to the public, he urged for greater patience, stressing that the plans for the critical track extension from Aba, through Umuahia to Enugu and beyond, remain very much on course.

Responding on behalf of the Abia State Government, Mr. Kingsley Agomoh stated that the State Government is actively engaging all stakeholders by providing alternative, seamless locations for those currently conducting business on the railway right-of-way.

He further revealed that the state government has already finalized plans to plant trees along the route, creating a leisurely and aesthetically conducive environment for relaxation, replacing previous commercial activities.

The high-powered team then embarked on an extensive inspection of the alternative relocation site for displaced persons; the demolition site where iron barrier installation is progressing; the Umuahia Central Bus Terminal; the site for the new Umuahia Railway Station; and the route for the proposed link road passing through the existing railway station.

The meeting also explored the provision of a temporary location for the Railway Police and the PTO, pending the construction of the new Umuahia Station, which is designed to include a police station and other NRC offices.

The same impactful message was delivered to Enugu State, where the Commissioner of Transportation, Dr. Obi Ozoh (representing the State Government), equally assured the NRC MD of the Enugu State Government’s unwavering commitment to collaborating with the Corporation to achieve its aims and objectives.

Describing Dr. Opeifa as a personal friend from their private sector days, Dr. Ozoh lauded him as a leader who “knows perfectly well what he is doing.”

He further assured the NRC that the Enugu State Government will actively assist in demolishing any obstruction on the Corporation’s right-of-way, stressing that the state eagerly awaits the flag-off to recommence construction of the rail line from Aba to Enugu and beyond.