The Federal Government has given ministries, departments and agencies until the end of November 2026 to complete the second phase of Nigeria’s National Single Window, as part of efforts to reduce bureaucratic obstacles affecting the country’s export trade.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, announced the deadline on Wednesday in Abuja during a high-level stakeholder engagement on Phase 2 of the National Single Window and the Export Tracker.
Oduwole said the next phase must address fragmented regulatory systems, duplicated processes and weak coordination among government agencies, which contribute to delays and additional costs for businesses involved in international trade.
She directed participating agencies to establish clear responsibilities, identify outstanding tasks and work towards firm delivery dates, with the end of November 2026 set as the deadline for completion of the second phase.
The minister disclosed that the National Single Window, which became operational on March 27, had already processed more than 124,614 licences and permits, registered 11,096 importers and agents and trained more than 8,000 users.
The platform has also facilitated approximately N12.59 billion in regulatory payments, according to figures provided by the minister.
However, Oduwole stressed that the launch of the platform should not be regarded as the completion of the reform.
She said the effectiveness of the initiative would ultimately be determined by whether businesses experience simpler procedures, greater transparency and faster, more predictable movement of goods.
Phase 2 is expected to deepen the digital integration of export-related processes and reduce the duplication of requirements among government agencies.
The minister emphasised that stakeholders must leave the engagement with clearly defined responsibilities, measurable milestones and identified institutional dependencies so that implementation can remain on schedule.
The reform forms part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to improve Nigeria’s trade environment, increase non-oil exports and diversify the economy.
Oduwole also linked the initiative to President Bola Tinubu’s economic agenda, including the ambition to grow Nigeria’s economy towards $1 trillion by 2030.
The National Single Window is therefore being positioned not simply as a digital platform but as part of a wider attempt to simplify interactions between businesses and government agencies involved in trade.
With November now set as the delivery deadline, attention will shift to whether the participating agencies can complete the required integrations and translate the reform into faster and less cumbersome export procedures for Nigerian businesses.
