By Sandra Chukwunyere
The Director, National Single Window (NSW) Project and Head of secretariat, Mr. Tola Fakolade has reiterated to the business community that the Policy initiative is in the interest of the national economy which was conscientiously designed to significantly reduce every bureaucratic bottlenecks hitherto hindering trade.
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Mr. Fakolade made this known during a joint Stakeholders forum of the NSW Project Secretariat and the Nigeria customs held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State recently, noting that the plan would accelerate trade processes, harmonize revenue flow and boost ports efficiency and management.
The Director confirmed to critical stakeholders across the trade value chain in attendance that the legacy initiative is in sync with President Bola Ahmed Tinubus’ quest for modalities necessary to be in place for Nigeria to attain a $1 trillion economy by the year 2030, in line with world economic growth projections for countries.
Complimenting the efforts of the Nigeria Customs Service, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and players for their pioneering roles in digitisation of trade processes, he explained that the initiative will harmonise and streamline trade processes and procedures into a One- Stop -Shop platform.
“This platform will house all Government Related Revenue collection agencies and Importers/exporters as well as other regulatory agencies of Government into a single access for declarations.
“The NSW is configured in a way to accommodate all critical stakeholders involved in the trade value chain to the extent of visibility and interoperability.
Therefore, no stakeholder will operate in silos or territorially. It is envisaged that this platform will harmonise the digital operational competences of all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and consolidation of same to enable ease of doing business in Nigeria”
Anticipated challenges and other grey areas were addressed during questions and answers session by the keynote speaker, Mr Kingsley Igwe, and the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, was represented by the Zonal Coordinator Zone C of the Customs, ACG Mohammed kamal. Inputs and suggestions were critiqued and welcomed.
Compered by the National PRO of Customs, Aliyu Maiwada, and supported by the 2IC and other CPRO’s in Zone, led by AC Fortune- former Zonal PRO – Zone C, the Head of NSW secretariat assured the stakeholders of federal Governments’ full commitment towards deploying the NSW to enable Nigeria become a new destination for business.
“It is hoped that with full implementation of Single Window, all bureaucratic bottlenecks hitherto hindering trade will be drastically reduced. It will ensure transparency in the system and will enthrone predictability when transacting business, while we strive to reduce cost and human interface in the trade ecosystem.
“It is therefore the wish of the secretariat that the project should be supported and embraced for the benefit of all stakeholders. There will be training and retraining of operators in the system as well as support for MDAs involved in the value chain who are yet to have a digitised platform for trade. Implementation will be in four stages and each stage will have a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for assessment” he assured.
Recall that, just recently, a similar forum was held in Lagos where the Federal Government assured business operators of its readiness to boost port efficiency and seamless operations. This, it said would materialized through innovative and creative processes – powered by modern technology to improve ease of doing business. Most importantly, the government said it was moving from a revenue generating agency to a trade facilitator, while ameliorating the plights of business operators.
Mr. Fakolade in Lagos affirmed that it was President Bola Tinubu’s desire to see importers, exporters and other operators in the maritime business value chain and beyond carry out their businesses without hitches.
While addressing newsmen, he added that the era of diverting consignments and investments to neighboring countries due to identified clogs would soon be over, as he called on all stakeholders and other interest groups to lend their support from their respective corners to achieve the president’s aim.
Panelists drawn from critical subsectors sensitized stakeholders on the need to prepare and set machineries and mechanisms in place in support of the initiative. Not jettisoning obvious challenges and perennial hitches that have impeded business flow in the maritime subsector, panelists acknowledged the plight of core business men and women within the shores of Nigerian ports, and promised to bring succor in no distance time.
As the cross – pollination and fertilization of ideas continue, stakeholders are admonished to contribute their quota for a smooth implementation, and optimization of the NSW initiative and its overall success in streamlining trade processes in the interest of the country.
