The Sea Empowerment and Research Centre (SEREC) has urged the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to strengthen operatipons at its digital trading platform known as B`Odogwu,
SEREC said that this is with a view to facilitating the smooth implementation of the National Single Window (NSW) regime.
SEREC`s call is contained in its October bulletin issued by the Head Of its Research, Eugene Nweke, on Monday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Single Window (NSW) is a Federal Government initiative set to take off in the first quarter of 2026.
It aims to streamline and automate trade procedures through a centralised digital platform for all trade-related transactions to boost economic growth.
According to the Nweke, the NCS now bears a collective institutional duty to galvanise resources, technical capacity and collaboration.
”This is in ensuring that the B’Odogwu platform evolved into an enduring backbone capable of supporting the life span and operational depth of the forthcoming NSW regime.
”The National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) and the NCS should ensure that the B’Odogwu platform evolves into a durable, interoperable and sustainable digital foundation for the new era of Nigerian trade administration.”
He emphasised that the success of Nigeria’s trade facilitation agenda hinges not only on the sophistication of its software but on the integrity of its governance and inclusivity of its design.
He said that the forthcoming NSW should be pursued as a national economic reform not merely an automation project.
The SEREC head of research commended the Federal Government for constituting an Independent secretariat but emphasised the need for the rules of engagement, moderation and inter-agency release protocols to be clearly defined.
According to him, the move will safeguard operational transparency and prevent dominance by any particular sectoral interest.
”The Secretariat’s interventions and oversight functions must remain neutral, inclusive, and performance-driven, with measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) tied to trade facilitation outcomes not merely revenue collection.
”Furthermore, emphasis must shift from external consultant-driven frameworks toward homegrown expertise that understands the peculiarities of Nigeria’s cost, insurance, and freight dominated import culture.
”Without addressing fundamental issues such as incoterms misalignment and documentary non-compliance, even the most advanced Electronic Data Interchange systems risk falling short of expectation.”
Nweke further said that as the NTFC prepares for the NSW implementation, it should seek ways to influence a policy shift that upholds the most appropriate and applicable incoterms in Nigeria’s trade ecosystem.
”A fully operational NSW can boost NCS`s revenue by 10 to 20 per cent annually, yielding between N600 billion and N1.2 trillion in additional earnings.
”Reducing cargo dwell time by 35 to 45 per cent, logistics and demurrage savings for the private sector were estimated at N300 to N400 billion annually.
”Overall trade transaction costs can drop by 20 to 25 per cent, enhancing Nigeria’s global logistics competitiveness index and easing the cost of doing business.
”Current system inefficiencies are estimated to cost Nigeria N500 billion to N900 billion annually in unrealised revenue, administrative duplication, and lost productivity.
”The absence of a unified NSW continues to push regional competitiveness toward neighbouring ports in Cotonou, Lome, and Tema, which already operate harmonised digital trade platforms,” he said.
He added that a robust NSW ecosystem was projected to create more than 100,000 direct and indirect jobs in ICT, logistics and data management.
”Enhanced predictability and port transparency can attract two to three billion U.S. dollars in private logistics and maritime investments within five years, expanding GDP contribution from the maritime sector by up to 1.5 per cent,” Nweke also said.
