NPCC seeks quick implementation of single window project

The Nigerian Port Consultative Council (NPCC) has declared support for the newly inaugurated Committee on the Single Window Project and called for its quick implementation.

The Chairman of the Council, Bolaji Sunmola, said the project, when fully implemented, would not only increase the ease of doing business at the ports but would also assist the facilitation of trade.

This statement follows the inauguration of a dedicated committee to oversee the implementation of the project, an initiative directed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The single window system, designed to allow parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardised information and documents at a single-entry point, is intended to minimise the complexity of import and export operations.

The system is expected to replace the current multiple submission requirements, thus reducing waiting times and lowering transaction costs.

Sunmola stated that the council is ready to assist the implementation project by way of monitoring its progress and giving necessary advisory support.

Reflecting on a decade-old study trip to Ghana, where the NPCC members observed the successful implementation of a similar system, Sunmola expressed regret over Nigeria’s delayed progress but remained hopeful about the project’s positive impact.

“It is high time we caught up with advanced systems around the world, and I believe the Single Window Project will mark a significant step forward for us,” he added.

The Council suggests that the project be implemented on a port-by-port basis until it is perfected across all ports.

According to Sunmola, the commencement of the single window project will not only enhance trade facilitation but will also block revenue leakage and make Nigerian ports more competitive.

He said it would also checkmate the activities of smugglers and redirect Nigerian-bound cargoes that had been diverted to the port of neighbouring countries.