The Federal Government has instructed all shipping companies and airlines operating in Nigeria to submit their cargo manifests through the National Single Window (NSW) platform, aiming to strengthen cargo tracking, improve transparency, and enhance trade facilitation.

The directive, issued by the Ministry of Finance, marks a departure from the previous arrangement where the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) handled shipping manifests exclusively for cargo processing and port clearance.

A memo dated November 17, 2025 (reference: FMF/OHMF/CW/NSW/01) instructed shipping lines and airlines to integrate their operations with the NSW platform for seamless submission of sea and air manifests. The memo was signed by Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun.

The National Single Window Project, inaugurated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on April 16, 2024, is part of the government’s effort to streamline and automate import and export procedures at Nigeria’s ports of entry and exit. The system consolidates the activities of multiple government agencies on a single digital platform to expedite goods clearance, reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, and improve service delivery.

The memo emphasized that the NSW platform will serve as the single-entry point for all trade documentation, in line with standards set by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Customs Organization (WCO). Compliance by shipping lines and airlines is mandatory.

The directive was also communicated to key agencies, including the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Managing Directors of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), as well as the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).