ZAINAB JUNAID
Maritime Industry Stakeholders have called for collaborative efforts among government agencies and other principal actors of National Single Window initiative to ensure successful implementation and fruition of the project.
The NSW project, introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR on 16 April 2024, is a long anticipated project that aims to streamline trade processes, enhance revenue generation, and boost economic growth in Nigeria by simplifying government trade compliance through a digital platform.
Guests and MAJAN Executives at the Seminar
Speaking at the recently concluded Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria, MAJAN, seminar held at Rockview Hotel, Apapa, Lagos, the stakeholders resolved that the NSW initiative will foster economic efficiency but requires active participation and cooperation of all agencies involved.
This according to them will ensure smooth transition that will be complemented by the enabling infrastructure to support the achievement of NSW objectives of efficiency and compliance with international standards and best practices.
Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Eugene Nweke,
Chairman of the occasion, Former President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, Dr. Eugene Nweke posited that successful implementation of the initiative requires collaboration among Stakeholders, including government agencies, private sectors.
Still Dr. Eugene
According to him, “At the initial stage, political interest, individual and some unethical interest continuously hinder the National Single Window project vision, rather than doing help, we are being trapped, a project meant for trade facilitation. However, its successful implementation requires collaboration among Stakeholders including government agencies, private sectors Effective implementation and efficiency can be achieved with this”.
Project Team Lead, National Single Window, Mr. Peter Ekunkoya
In his submission, Director of the NSW Initiative, Mr. Tola Fakolade also emphasised that collective responsibility will drive the project success.
Mr. Fakolade, who was represented by the Project Team Lead, Mr. Peter Ekunkoya, highlighted the National Single Window’s role in creating a centralized, digital platform for the submission, processing, and approval of trade-related documentation.
The platform, he said, aims to streamline trade processes by linking government agencies, importers and all the service providers, promoting efficiency and transparency.
He asserted that the initiative will enhance significant reduction in the time and cost associated with import, export activities and Nigeria will remain competitive in the global market.
“Our vision is BOLD: to reduce the clearance time for import and export processes from averagely 10-18 days to within 24 hours. The National Single Window will enhance transparency in trade operations, reduce bureaucratic delays and increase efficiency which will not only improve on our ease of doing business but will positively impact on Foreign direct Investment leading to GDP growth,” Fakolade stated.
The Director added that the implementation of the NSW initiative aims to address the challenges that have historically plagued trade facilitation in Nigeria including- lack of coordination among various regulatory agencies.
“The initiative aims to providing a single platform where all trade-related information and documentation can be accessed and processed seamlessly. It signals the beginning of what I believe will be a groundbreaking journey—one that will modernize our trade processes, facilitate economic growth, and place our country at the forefront of trade facilitation worldwide.
“This National Single Window will foster collaboration among key agencies, including the Nigerian Customs Service, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, NAFDAC, NESREA, CBN, NPA, FAAN and their terminal Operators including security agencies like the NDLEA, DSS and other stakeholders in the Maritime space,” he stated.
Continuing, in his presentation on the role of NSW initiative in enhancing economic efficiency, the team Lead, Ekunkoya noted that the project has boosted global growth, by enhancing efficiency and transparency and Nigeria is ready to learn from the experience of other countries.
To him, “With NSW initiative, the goods clearance Lead time which takes between 10-18 days will be reduced to one day; Average time to export goods that is currently 11 days will also be reduced to one day; Physical examination, that is, percentage of containers that are physically inspected by agencies currently greater than 90 percent will be less than 25 percent; and lastly the cleaning cost including clearing charges, demurrage and other fees which is 1.8X when compared to peer West Africa Countries, will drastically reduce to 50% in parity”.
Ekunkoya, however resolved that the success of the National Single Window Project hinges on the key actors ability to work together.
His words, “It is a shared endeavour that requires the active participation and cooperation of all agencies involved to ensure smooth transition which will be complemented by the enabling infrastructure to support the achievement of our objectives of efficiency and compliance with international standards and best practices.
“I would like to extend my gratitude to our partners, stakeholders, and everyone involved in bringing this project to fruition. Your dedication and expertise are invaluable as we strive to enhance Nigeria’s position in the global trade landscape.
“At the Inauguration on April 16th the President reiterated that this would be a Legacy of the present administration and all those involved would be writing their names in gold. As we implement this project, let us all remain united in our efforts and embrace the opportunities that lie ahead. Together, we can build a robust framework that supports trade growth, economic development, and ultimately, the prosperity of our nation,” he concluded.
Senior Forwarder of Nigeria and Trade Facilitation Expert and also Registrar, NAGAFF Academy, Fwrder Francis Idowu Omotosho
Contributing, Senior Forwarder of Nigeria and Trade Facilitation Expert and also Registrar, NAGAFF Academy, Fwrder Francis Idowu Omotosho, maintained that to achieve sustainable National Single Window vis-à-vis seamless 24hrs Cargo clearance operations across the Nigeria seaports, airports and approved land border posts, five key lesses agenda of cargo clearance operations should be considered- Paperless operations, that is, 100 percent Paperless with only one single clearance approval document; cashless operations (various electronic payment methods); timeless operations (24 hours cargo clearance service operations and security surveillance across the approved points of entries); tax-less operations (tax reforms with harmonization of single tax points system); low tariff and charges; Borderless operations and adoption of single currency across the Continental Africa Region.
Fwrder Omotosho equally underscored the importance of conducting an objective analysis of the level of stakeholders’ commitment all along the project with the view to defining a strategy for the mobilization of all.
“In a bid to have all guaranteed success of a SW project, it is essential to fathom on a permanent basis the level of commitment of the Stakeholders. This level must ideally remain all along the project,” he stated.
Guests at the Seminar
The NAGAFF Academy Registrar also delved into the complexities of the national single window initiative, providing valuable insights for attendees.
He elucidated the concept and scope of Single Window, stating it is adopted under International Maritime Organization, IMO, convention of Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, World Customs Organisations, WCO International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures (Kyoto Convention) and World Trade Organisation, WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement; which requires all government agencies Regulating shipping and international trade logistics systems to use a Single Digital Platform to share and exchange information and also permits the traders or Transporters to submit or lodge all the data, information and documents needed for determining admissibility of the Ships and Cargoes in a Standardized Format ONLY.
Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria, MAJAN, President, Mr. Jerry Aguigbo while delivering his welcome address.
Earlier, the Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria, MAJAN, President, Mr. Jerry Aguigbo, expressed gratitude for the turnout of key participants at the event, acknowledging their valuable contributions to the topic.
He cited the impressive outcome of the SW initiative in other countries noting that if well implemented in Nigeria, will be a key transformative economic tool.
His words, “The success rate of NSW has been impressive in various countries. For instance, Singapore’s Trade Net system reduced trade processing time from four days to just 10 minutes, resulting in significant cost savings. South Korea’s Single Window System integrated 90 different systems from 43 government agencies, enabling a 60% reduction in trade transaction costs and a 40% increase in processing speed.
“Other success stories include: Thailand, which reduced export transaction times by 42% through its NSW; Hong Kong, where the NSW generated substantial economic benefits, resulting in estimated annual savings of HK$1.3 billion; Pakistan, which streamlined 65% of regulated trade and reduced goods declaration times by half through its Single Window (PSW); Sri Lanka, which aims to reduce trade costs, faster processing, better government revenue collection, and stronger alignment to global standards through its NSW.
Jerry emphasised the importance of the theme- Transforming Trade Facilitation: The Role of National Single Window in Enhancing Economic Efficiency, as carefully chosen by the association to critically deliberate on the initiative which has the potentials of creating seamless trade and also improve the nation’s economy while effectively dismantling barriers to trade facilitation.
He said, “We intend to use the seminar to collectively explore strategies to enhance Nigeria’s trade efficiency and fostering regional integration”.
MAJAN event was highly educative, featuring engaging speakers’ discussions, complemented by a strong audience turnout. It also culminated in an award ceremony that recognized the achievements of esteemed industry stakeholders.
