Forwarder (Dr.) Arthur Igwilo, committee chairman.
Story by Dr. Arthur Igwilo.
The wave of digitisation and digitalisation is sweeping through the port ecosystem in Nigeria maritime domain. The current global technological advancement is reverberating and permeating different facets of human activities. In advanced economies and societies there is the wave of robotics. So much of human activities are being taken over by artificial intelligence operated devices.
Since 2018 there has been fervent calls to introduce Single Window platform in port operations where all the critical Stakeholders that are involved in cargo management will key-in to assess, analyse imports and exports coming into and leaving Nigeria ports. The Single Window Network will connect all the critical Stakeholders involved in daily cargo logistics namely: Banks, Nigeria Customs Service, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, National Food and Drug Administration and Control, National Plant Quarantine Services, National Animal Quarantine Services, Federal Inland Revenue Services, Nigeria Police Force etc.
Currently, these stakeholders/agencies have their private platforms which they use to monitor the process and procedures of their operations, but the fundamental purpose of National Single Window Network with improved technology is to harmonise all the various platforms into one called NSW. This is aimed at improving further efficiency and reducing costs of doing business. This project has been on the drawing board, but previous administrations did not have the political will to start the implementation.
However, in the last quarter of 2024, president Bola Ahmed Tinubu officially Inaugurated the Single Window Network. The National Single Window Network, said the President is succinctly and robustly designed to revolutionalise the Freight Forwarding (Clearing and Forwarding) procedures and processes in the ports operations, improve economic metrics and facilitate trade.
The Managing Director Nigeria Ports Authority, Dr Dantsoho Abubakar in an event last year stated that “The renewed vigour with which Nigeria is accelerating the implementation of National Single Window project which will in fundamental terms deepen port efficiencies by eliminating human interface that hitherto undermine in-country trade facilitation efforts requires intensified International Technical support to meet and indeed exceed global expectations”.
NPA has been propelled by the Hon. Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola’s policy thrust to create Port Community Systems (PCS) which serves as a precursor to the establishment and implementation of National Single Window. In the words of the Managing Director, NPA,”The unified System Integrates the NPA, NCS, other regulatory Agencies and private sector players in the ports, streamlining compliance to make it easier, faster and more transparent.”With the National Single Window, businesses will experience a drastic reduction in trade delays, experience lower operational costs and improved regulatory oversight, all of which will reposition the ports for greater efficiency and enhance national and international trade competitiveness.The unified trade window will secure government revenue, improve overall the country’s image in international trade indicators”, said the MD of NPA.
The Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi observed that “the National Single Window will expedite goods clearance and exports, making it a promise fulfilled six years after the former President Mohammed Buhari administration had pledged to create the platform in 2018”.
According to Nigeria Ports Today Magazine,”starting from 1st January, 2024, it had become mandatory for ports worldwide to adopt Single Window System for electronic change of information concerning ships arrival, stay and departure at ports. The absence of National Single Window platform has so far cost Nigeria estimate of #1.08 trillion in annual revenue loss.
From the Ist January, 2024 take-off date, many countries in Africa such as Ghana, Benin Republic and other ports in Africa have automated their clearing processes thereby making the operations faster and seamless. As at 2017, Ghana had commenced the registration of vehicles doing business at its ports in preparation for full automation of the processes. Ghana has a $1.5 billion fully -automated terminal built by APM Terminals, Bollore’ Africa Logistics, Meridian Port services and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority. The above underscores the fact that National Single Window implementation will align with global best practices in port management and operations.
The General Policy Group and Strategy of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) in line with various submissions of The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other notable authorities as it concerns the immediate implementation of the National Single Window in ports operations support the policy. However, the association’s support of the policy wouldn’t go without some reservations. These reservations are identified as probable challenges of the National Single Window. Such Challenges are summarised as follows:
(i) Insufficient technological skills
(ii)Poor/erratic power supply
(iii)Poor network by service providers
(iv)Personal aggrandisement by the driver’s of the process.
(v) Corruption.
(vi) Defficient Legal framework.
(vii) Human resistance to change.
(viii)Improper co-ordination among the critical Stakeholders in NSW.
(ix) Resistance in accepting designated leading Agency.
(x) Security concerns regarding centralised information sharing and digital documents.
(xi)Probable lack of sustained Federal Govt support.
(xii)Improper declaration by importers and exporters.
Conclusion.
The implementation of National Single Window will certainly improve the efficiency in port operations. It will also reduce the cost of doing business. It will promote intelligence sharing for national security.
National Single Window promotes paperless trade which is estimated to bring economic benefits of #3.5 billion. Most countries like Singapore, Kenya, South Korea, Saudi Arabia etc where National Single Window is in use have enjoyed significant improvements in trade efficiency.
The National Single Window project transcends mere technological advancement. It symbolises a gateway to a more interconnected efficient and transparent system by integrating ports, government agencies and key stakeholders engaged in national, regional and international trade.
The National Single Window will expand the tax base by capturing both formal and informal e-commerce sector. It has the potential to promote Nigeria’s participation in Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, AfCFTA by linking Nigeria with other African nations. And this will advertently and inadvertently position Nigeria as a leader in regional trade, fostering economic ties and creating new collaborative opportunities.
With the National Single Window, data harmonisation facilitates efficient capture analysis and reconciliation of regulatory trade documents. These will position Nigeria as maritime hub in sub-sahara Africa.
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