The Federal Government has begun the National Single Window User Acceptance Testing with the first cohort of participating stakeholders, marking a major step toward launching the unified and technology driven trade ecosystem by March 2026. Technology vendor CrimsonLogic led the onboarding sessions and guided each agency through system navigation tools and the operational framework built to simplify the country’s trade processes, according to a statement the firm released on Tuesday.
The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, visited the testing grounds to review progress already made. They moved from one breakout room to another, speaking directly with officials to understand their experiences during the early phase of testing. Both leaders said they were satisfied with the pace of work and praised the collaboration among ministries, departments and agencies involved in the project.
Representatives from major regulatory and trade institutions took part in the opening session. These included the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, the Nigeria Customs Service and the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria. Importers, exporters, clearing agents and freight forwarders were also present, forming a diverse group of early testers for the digital trade system.
The engagement created an opportunity for organisations to test different system functions, confirm workflow structures and align expectations ahead of the platform’s rollout. Officials noted that the move brings Nigeria closer to achieving a fully operational National Single Window aimed at harmonising documentation, lowering trade costs and removing duplication across multiple agencies. With Nigeria’s rising involvement in global commerce, stakeholders said the National Single Window could become an important tool for improving efficiency, increasing transparency and supporting faster transaction processing.
The visit by Edun and Adedeji emphasised the government’s commitment to delivering a modern and technology driven trade environment. They explained that the National Single Window is expected to integrate all trade related processes into one digital platform that supports automation, supply chain visibility and faster decision making. This aligns with broader economic reforms targeted at boosting investment, improving competitiveness and supporting logistics growth.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the maiden Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade Summit in Abuja, assured delegates from more than 30 African countries that the National Single Window will go live in March 2026. Tinubu said the system would reduce clearance timelines from 21 days to below seven, helping Nigeria meet the Africa Continental Free Trade Area’s digital trade requirements while strengthening the country’s position in regional port automation.
The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, Kingsley Igwe, previously explained at a stakeholders’ engagement in Lagos that the platform has already been deployed in Singapore, South Korea and Rwanda. He said these countries integrated all trade related agencies and processes into one digital system that reduces paperwork, delays and repeated documentation. Igwe highlighted that Nigeria could cut logistics costs by up to 30 percent, attract new investments and support manufacturers through faster clearance of raw materials and equipment.
He added that the platform would also give small and medium sized businesses easier access to trade tools while enabling freight forwarders to track consignments digitally with fewer operational bottlenecks. “The National Single Window will lower the cost of doing business, enhance supply chain visibility and give Nigeria a stronger footing in the global market,” Igwe said.
