The directive, issued through the Ministry of Finance, represents a major shift from the previous system in which the Nigeria Customs Service solely handled the submission of shipping manifests for cargo processing and clearance. Under the new arrangement, shipping lines and airlines must integrate directly with the NSW platform for both sea and air cargo documentation.
Details of the policy were contained in a memo dated November 17, 2025, with reference number FMF/OHMF/CW/NSW/01. The memo instructed all affected operators to align their operational systems with the National Single Window to ensure seamless and standardised submission of manifests.
Signed by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, the memo recalled that the National Single Window Project was inaugurated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on April 16, 2024. The initiative forms part of the Federal Government’s broader agenda to automate and streamline import and export procedures at Nigeria’s points of entry and exit.
According to the minister, the NSW is designed to enhance trade facilitation, improve efficiency at ports, and increase government revenue by harmonising the activities of multiple agencies involved in trade regulation. By operating on a single digital platform, the system is expected to shorten clearance timelines, reduce duplication of processes and eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks that often delay cargo movement.
The memo further explained that the concept of a Single Window, as defined by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the World Customs Organisation (WCO), is built around a single-entry point and a one-time submission of trade-related documentation. This means that traders, shipping companies, airlines and other stakeholders will no longer need to submit the same documents to multiple agencies.
“As a result, the NSW platform will be the single-entry point for the submission of all sea and air manifests,” the memo stated, stressing that compliance by shipping lines and airlines is mandatory.
The directive was circulated to key government agencies involved in trade and transport, including the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Managing Directors of the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, as well as the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.
The Federal Government expects the full implementation of the directive to strengthen inter-agency coordination, improve oversight of cargo flows and position Nigeria’s ports and airports as more efficient hubs for regional and international trade.