Nigeria’s National Single Window (NSW) platform has processed more than 39,000 applications for licences, permits, certificates, and other trade documents within just eight weeks of operation, showing growing adoption of the digital trade platform across the country.
The Director of the NSW Secretariat, Tola Fakolade, disclosed this during a media briefing in Lagos on Friday. He explained that the strong number of applications reflects increasing confidence among businesses and government agencies in the online system.
According to him, the platform has received a total of 39,039 applications since the first phase of the project went live in March 2026.
Fakolade said the system was created to simplify trade processes and improve the handling of licences, permits, certificates, and other important trade documents. He noted that more companies and stakeholders are now depending on the NSW platform for faster and more efficient processing.
Providing a breakdown of the applications received, he explained that the Standards Organisation of Nigeria accounted for the largest share with 30,937 applications.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control recorded 7,942 applications, while the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency processed 138 applications.
He also revealed that the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service handled 22 applications through the platform during the period under review.
Fakolade further stated that 7,567 users have been successfully onboarded onto the NSW platform since launch. These users include importers, customs agents, freight forwarders, clearing agents, and other private-sector operators involved in Nigeria’s trade ecosystem.
He explained that among the registered users were 6,935 importers, 359 clearing and forwarding agents, 104 freight forwarders, and 169 licensed customs agents.
The NSW Director also highlighted progress made in the Air Cargo Manifest Module, which officially became operational on March 27, 2026, with DHL serving as the pilot airline.
According to him, 136 manifests have already been submitted through the platform, while eight airlines and courier operators are now actively using the system for cargo manifest submissions.
Fakolade noted that the government began nationwide training programmes in February 2026 in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano to prepare both public and private stakeholders for the transition to the digital trade platform.
He explained that training sessions are still ongoing to ensure users understand how to effectively operate the system and complete their transactions smoothly.
The NSW Secretariat disclosed that 2,990 private-sector stakeholders, including importers, exporters, freight forwarders, and customs agents, have already received training on how to use the platform.
In addition, 579 representatives from various ministries, departments, and agencies were trained to understand approval processes, application reviews, escalations, and stakeholder support services linked to the NSW operations.
Regulatory agencies involved in the training include NAFDAC, SON, NESREA, and NAQS.
Looking ahead, Fakolade announced that the second phase of the National Single Window project will begin in June 2026. He said the next stage will focus on completing the manifest rollout for all airlines and shipping companies to enable full submission of manifests through the NSW platform.
The development is expected to improve trade efficiency, reduce delays at ports, and strengthen Nigeria’s efforts to modernise its trade and customs operations.
