Chukwu Obinna 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Federal Government has begun User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for the National Single Window (NSW), a flagship digital trade platform expected to overhaul the country’s import–export processes when it goes live in March 2026.
Key agencies including the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) participated in the first round of testing on Tuesday under the supervision of technology partner CrimsonLogic.
Finance Minister, Wale Edun and Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), inspected the UAT site, Dr Zacch Adedeji, where they assessed system performance and engaged participating agencies. A senior official described the milestone as “a major step toward harmonising documentation, cutting trade costs and ending paperwork duplication across Nigeria’s ports.”
The NSW is designed to merge the requirements of multiple regulatory bodies into one digital portal. Authorities say the platform will reduce cargo clearance timelines from an average of 21 days to fewer than seven, positioning Nigeria to compete more effectively under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Vice President Kashim Shettima, speaking on behalf of President Bola Tinubu at the recent C-PACT summit, said the system would “align Nigeria with global digital trade standards.”
Kingsley Igwe, Registrar of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), said the economic gains could mirror those seen in Singapore, South Korea and Rwanda. “A unified trade window lowers costs, improves supply-chain visibility and strengthens global competitiveness,” he noted.
Importers, exporters, clearing agents and freight forwarders tested workflow functions, data integration and compliance modules. Observers described the collaboration as the strongest indicator, yet that Nigeria may finally transition to a modern, transparent and fully paperless trade environment.
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Mirian Gom 
