Maritime Stakeholders Demand Legal Framework to Backup National Single Window Platform Ahead of 2026 Rollout

By DAPO OLAWUNI

Stakeholders in the Marine and Blue Economy sector of Nigeria have called for a legal instrument that would support the rollout of the National Single Window trade platform of the Federal government which is expected to commence by the first quarter of year 2026.

The stakeholders observed that the Single Window implementation is bringing various government agencies to be submerged under one umbrella, hence there is need for a legal framework to guide their operations in order not to allow perforation.

This call resonated at the 10th Annual Seminar for Maritime Journalists and Launch of the Centre for Maritime Media and Capacity Development in Lagos on Wednesday.

The event organised by First Mediacon Network Limited (FMNL) is themed: “A Decade of Collaboration for Impact: Strengthening Maritime Journalism for the Future.”

Speaking at the function, former Acting President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Dr Kayode Farinto emphasized the need for a legal framework in the implementation of the Single Window, adding that there must be punishment for Chief Executive Officers of agencies who deliberately circumvent, delay cargoes and make officers extort traders or freight forwarders unnecessarily.

“Our fears of the National Single Window is that we need a legal framework to legitimise the various Acts that would be submerged under one Platform.
For example the various government agencies like Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Nigeria Customs Service now have the 2023 Act which we just began the implementation.

“For us to have these government agencies working together, there must be a legal framework so that it would be sacrosanct.
In this legal framework, there must be punishment for Chief Executive Officers who deliberately circumvent, delay cargoes and make officers extort traders or freight forwarders unnecessarily” Dr Farinto stated

He said that the new tax laws recently signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has a provision for Tax Ombudsman, which according to him will further help the implementation of the National Single Window.

According to him, “Any agency CEO that is too stubborn would be reported to the tax Ombudsman. You need to go and see this law, because it states clearly the precautions, conditions and punishment for any CEO that flout the process”

He called for attitudinal change from all stakeholders in the maritime industry, especially the Nigeria Customs Service.

“The Single Window is an instrument that would take us to the promise land, but there must be attitudinal change. In the last 5 years, the level of compliance on the part of freight forwarders have increased, so the regulators must also have attitudinal change. There must be monthly stakeholders engagement.

The frontline customs broker said that for the National Single Window to be successful, stakeholders must key into the various trade facilitation tools that have been developed by the Nigeria Customs Service.
One of the tools according to him is the Time Release Study (TRS) designed to monitor movement of cargoes right from when it arrives at the port.
He said another tool; The Advanced Ruling scheme of the customs would also help the implementation of the Single Window.

Also speaking, the National Vice President of ANLCA, Prince Segun Oduntan expressed hope that the planned rollout of the National Single Window would adhere strictly to global best practices, delivering a truly unified platform capable of reducing delays, cutting costs and resolving long-standing inter-agency conflicts at the nation’s ports.

Represented by the Senior Special Adviser to the ANLCA National President on Media, Alhaji Sulaiman Ayokunle, Prince Oduntan warned that the Single Window Platform would be bedevilled with multiple perforations if the various government agencies in the ports are not streamlined.

According to the ANLCA Vice President, modernization should be all encompassing and must carry everyone along for ease of doing business.

“On the National Single Window, our worries are enormous, teething problems are inevitable because the programme would be run on technology, and we know what technology does to us in the maritime industry, sometimes it is turned upside-down

“With the celebrated Single Window that would launched next year, we don’t need a Single window with much perforations. We hope that the platform would go by legal framework, because presently, we have so many Windows with all the government agencies” Oduntan stated

On his part, the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi called on all port operators to take advantage of the various trade platforms that have been put in place by the service in order to maximise efficiency of the Single Window Platform.

Represented by the Zonal Coordinator Zone ‘A’ of the service, ACG Mohammed Babandede stated that before the commencement of the National Single Window, the Nigeria Customs Service has rolled out trade facilitation tools which stakeholders are supposed to use to their advantage.

“For example, we have the Advanced Economic Operator (AEO) which is meant to facilitate trade, but up till now, we have only 96 beneficiaries of the AEO. What we are expecting from you is compliance, when the level of compliance is high, trade would be facilitated.

“Secondly, on the Advance Ruling Programme, from the data I am receiving, we launched this scheme in 2024, but up till now, we have only gotten about 150 applications. Majority of these applicants are conglomerates and international organisations. You dont expect us to keep talking about it and you dont apply” he said

Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Dr. Pius Akutah, said as the maritime sector grows more complex; driven by digitalisation, new trade realities, regulatory reforms and global logistical shifts, journalism within this space must evolve accordingly

Akutah who was represented by the Director, Special Duties, NSC, Moses Abere, said the agency, as the Port Economic Regulator, remains committed to promoting efficiency, transparency and competitiveness within the maritime sector.

He said the theme of the event reflects the essential role of partnership in building a stronger maritime industry, noting that over the years, maritime journalists have worked closely with regulators, operators, policymakers and stakeholders to illuminate the challenges and opportunities of the sector.

He said the council considers the media as essential partners in informing stakeholders, shaping public understanding and strengthening accountability.

In his welcome address earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, FMNL, Sesan Onileimo, said maritime journalists are confronted with the need to upscale their knowledge, especially in this era of Artificial Intelligence, digitalisation and the social media in general.

He said all of these have combined to put journalists under intense pressure to push out factual details at all times, and also compete and be relevance, which is why the Maritime Journalists Capacity Development Centre berthed.

Onileimo said the Centre is a bold move to bridge this gap and also ensure that maritime journalists, irrespective of how young or old they are on the beat, will remain relevant.

He added that the Centre is open for partnership with interested corporate stakeholders and the goal is collaboration for impact, which the Nigerian maritime industry will benefit from.

The highpoint of the event was the presentation of awards to deserving stakeholders in the port industry by First Mediacon Network Limited and a lecture delivered by the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Dr Abdullahi Maiwada.

The event was graciously chaired by legal luminary, Dr Emeka Akabogu SAN.