The Federal Government has begun User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for the National Single Window (NSW), marking a major milestone toward making the unified digital trade platform fully operational by March 2026.
Technology provider CrimsonLogic led the first round of sessions on Wednesday, guiding participating agencies and stakeholders through the NSW onboarding procedures, system navigation tools, and operational features designed to simplify Nigeria’s trade processes.
Minister of Finance Wale Edun and Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji, visited the testing venue to assess progress and interact with participants.
Key regulatory bodies represented at the inaugural session included the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN). Importers, exporters, freight forwarders, and clearing agents were also in attendance.
The UAT exercise enabled agencies to test core functions, verify workflow accuracy, and harmonise expectations ahead of full deployment.
With testing now underway, Nigeria moves closer to realising an integrated digital trade system aimed at unifying documentation, cutting transaction costs, and eliminating bureaucratic duplication.
During the visit, Edun and Adedeji moved through various breakout rooms to observe testing activities firsthand and engage with stakeholders on their early experiences. Both officials expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded and commended the high level of inter-agency collaboration.
They reiterated the government’s resolve to deliver a modern, transparent and technology-driven trade environment.
At the opening of the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) Summit in Abuja on Monday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu—represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima—confirmed that the NSW remains on track to go live in March 2026.
Tinubu said the platform would reduce cargo clearance timelines from 21 days to fewer than seven, aligning Nigeria with the African Continental Free Trade Area’s (AfCFTA) digital trade standards and positioning the country as a leader in port automation.
