Economy
Nigeria Set To Unveil National Single Window Platform March 27
Nigeria will officially launch its long-awaited National Single Window (NSW) platform on March 27, marking what the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, described as a landmark reform in the country’s trade and fiscal architecture.
Gbajabiamila made the disclosure during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting at the State House, Abuja, attended by ministers, heads of key government agencies, and senior officials.
He noted that the initiative, first introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu nearly two years ago, represents a major fiscal reform designed to simplify trade processes, boost operational efficiency, and strengthen Nigeria’s global competitiveness.
“We are about to launch yet another reform by this administration — one that is transformational in nature,” he said. “As the name implies, it is a single national window, replacing multiple fragmented systems. This meeting is to assess our progress and secure collective commitment to ensure a smooth transition.”
The Chief of Staff commended the professionalism and dedication of participating institutions, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigeria Revenue Service, and the Nigeria Customs Service, among others.
Earlier, the NSW Coordinator, Mr. Tola Fakolade, urged agencies to intensify collaboration in the remaining 23 days before the platform goes live. He explained that the first phase will facilitate online processing of import permits, electronic submission of cargo manifests, and deployment of a centralised risk management system.
Fakolade disclosed that nationwide user training is already underway, while pilot testing will soon commence to guarantee a seamless rollout. He added that cargo manifests will be electronically transmitted to relevant agencies automatically, eliminating manual intervention and duplication.
“The support from all agencies is even more critical at this stage. Documents will be submitted once and shared across all relevant agencies without duplication,” he stated.
The Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, reaffirmed the ministry’s backing, describing the initiative as growth-enhancing and vital to economic expansion.
Similarly, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, described the NSW as a key pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda. She noted that the reform is long overdue and pledged intensified engagement with traders, importers, and exporters in the weeks ahead.
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, also assured the Bank’s full support, stressing the importance of bridging Nigeria’s trade facilitation gap with peer economies.
Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, called for stronger inter-agency coordination and political commitment, suggesting that the Trade Minister oversee the final 23-day implementation phase.
On his part, Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, described the project as historic and pledged sustained stakeholder engagement to ensure its success.
At the close of the meeting, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment was formally mandated to lead the final implementation phase ahead of the March 27 launch.
Other agencies represented at the meeting included the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, the Nigerian Ports Authority, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency.
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In what supporters describe as a bold transparency drive, the Federal Government has unveiled a monthly revenue dashboard designed to track income and expenditure across the three tiers of government, a move hailed as a potential game-changer in Nigeria’s fight against corruption and fiscal opacity. The initiative, introduced under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance, is expected to provide a public-facing template for monitoring allocations and spending patterns at Federal, State and Local Government levels.
Reacting to the development, the Tinubu Media Volunteers applauded the move, describing it as a decisive step toward accountability in public finance management. In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Chukwudi Enekwechi, and Secretary, Segun Ogedengbe, the group said the dashboard would significantly reduce corruption by exposing revenue inflows and deployment to greater public scrutiny. The Tinubu Media Volunteers noted that the dashboard becomes even more critical following the presidential executive order freeing up more oil revenues from NNPC Limited and the anticipated inflows from the newly implemented tax reforms.
According to the group, the digital monitoring framework will enable authorities to track the enormous resources expected to accrue to federal, state and local governments. The statement from the Tinubu Media Volunteers said, “We acknowledge that the federal government, under the auspices of the Ministry of Finance, has decided to utilise this template to monitor and track the enormous resources that would be accruing to the three tiers of government.” The group aligned itself with the position of the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, expressing confidence that improved revenues would translate into more productive capital deployment.
The Tinubu Media Volunteers said it expects governments at all levels to prioritise capital expenditure over recurrent spending, channeling funds into infrastructure, agriculture, energy and other growth-stimulating sectors. By doing so, it argued, Nigeria could curb excessive consumption patterns, stimulate economic productivity and strengthen long-term development. Beyond infrastructure investment, the group projected that enhanced revenue transparency and increased inflows would help reduce debt burdens across the three tiers of government. It added that higher revenues could enable governments to clear outstanding arrears while boosting sectors capable of driving sustainable growth.
Crucially, the Tinubu Media Volunteers expressed optimism that the revenue dashboards would empower citizens to hold public officials accountable by providing clearer visibility into how funds are generated and spent. For years, calls for fiscal transparency have echoed across civil society platforms, with critics lamenting opaque allocation processes and weak monitoring structures. With the introduction of the monthly dashboard, supporters say the era of guesswork in public finance may be drawing to a close. Whether the platform delivers on its promise remains to be seen but one thing is clear: the Federal Government has placed revenue transparency squarely in the spotlight.
The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) has reaffirmed its commitment to support the Borno State Government in revamping the moribund Banki Free Trade Zone (FTZ).
This was contained in a statement signed by Martins Odeh, Ph.D., Head, Corporate Communications, NEPZA, following a courtesy visit by the Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, to the Authority in Abuja.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NEPZA, Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi, emphasised the urgent need to overhaul the zone, describing it as a strategic economic gateway between Nigeria and the Maghreb region. He noted that the Banki Border Free Trade Zone had remained inactive largely due to adverse natural occurrences such as flooding, as well as funding constraints and insecurity.
“We have agreed to leverage our expertise in attracting Foreign Direct Investment and providing technical assistance to transform this business ecosystem that has significant potential to economically empower the North Eastern region of our country,” Ogunyemi stated.
In his remarks, Governor Zulum expressed appreciation for NEPZA’s commitment to supporting the state’s efforts to revive, expand and reconstruct the zone to meet global standards.
“The state is prepared to make substantial investments in the zone and develop the essential physical infrastructure as we work to bring prosperity closer to our people,” Zulum said.
The governor also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support of the free trade zone scheme, describing it as a viable pathway to economic growth and industrialisation.
“Let me thank His Excellency, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, GCFR, for his support of the free trade zone scheme, as it is a sure way to boost economic growth and industrialisation, so we are here to take advantage of this,” he added.
In a related development, Chairman of the NEPZA Board, Sen. Tijjani Yahaya Kaura, said the newly constituted board was committed to ensuring the Authority continued to fulfil its mandate of promoting non-oil export growth through the free trade zone scheme.
Kaura, a former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, made this known during the board’s maiden meeting held on Tuesday in Abuja.
“All the board members are pleased with their appointments, and we must thank the president for his leadership in helping us pursue the country’s export-driven ambitions,” he said.
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, has disclosed that 20 out of the 33 deposit money banks that raised fresh capital have met the new recapitalisation requirements set by the apex bank.
Cardoso made the announcement on Tuesday at the end of the 304th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting held in Abuja, describing the progress as a significant step toward strengthening Nigeria’s banking sector.
According to him, members of the MPC acknowledged the importance of the ongoing recapitalisation exercise and commended banks that have successfully met the new capital thresholds.
He, however, urged institutions yet to comply to intensify their efforts to ensure timely completion of the process, stressing that full compliance across the industry would enhance financial system stability and resilience.
The CBN had introduced the recapitalisation programme as part of broader reforms aimed at positioning Nigerian banks to better absorb economic shocks, support large-scale financing, and compete effectively in regional and global markets.
Cardoso noted that a well-capitalised banking system remains critical to sustaining investor confidence, safeguarding depositors’ funds, and supporting long-term economic growth.
The recapitalisation drive is expected to reshape the competitive landscape of the banking industry, with analysts predicting possible mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships among lenders seeking to meet regulatory requirements.