NSW Project Team, NAGAFF President Call for Honest Declarations by Importers
L-R Kolade (on cap) Founder of NAGAFF, DR. Boniface Aniebonam, President - Ezisi and Deputy President - Simeon Nwonu and others during the visit Tuesday..
*NSW will check physical examination of goods, multiple submission of documents – project team
By Francis Ugwoke
For the National Single Window (NSW) initiative in Nigeria to record expected success, the importers and their freight forwarders must have to be honest in their declarations of imports arriving the nation’s ports.
This was the position of the National Single Window Project Team when they visited the headquarters of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) on Tuesday.
The team leader, Mr Tola Kolade who fielded questions from members of NAGAFF explained that the project was aimed at improving clearing processes at the ports and making it faster than what it has been the case over the years.
Members of the association wanted to know how the NSW will address issues of network, internet fraud, delay, double submission of documents to different agencies of government, and other issues that often times affect importers and their customs agents when clearing goods at the ports.
Kolade disclosed his team is currently on sensitization programme in which it will meet all associations, importers and exporters and get necessary information to ensure the project works well.
He said that the team is working with the Nigeria Customs Service, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Ports Authority and other regulatory agencies to be able to deliver on the project.
Assuring that the team will deliver on its assignment in line with the federal government objective, he however, said the project is not a journey that will be completed in a day.
According to him, it will start with crawling, step by step, before reaching its expected destination.
He told the NAGAFF members that the NSW will be a central portal for freight forwarders, adding that all the different systems/portals currently being used by the agencies in the ports will later be integrated.
According to him, it is not about replacing any system but integration of all the different systems.
Kolade made it clear that NSW will lead to elimination of submission of documents to different agencies of government when clearing goods by freight forwarders on behalf of their importers.
He also said that it will bring to an end the issue of physical examination of goods at the ports, explaining that going by global standard, not all containers in the ports will be examined.
But he made it clear that this will only be so when full implementation will be achieved in about 10 years.
He added that this will only be so with declarants being correct, stating that everyone has to play his part.
On network issue, he assured that the team will not rely on one network provider, explaining that there will be a lot of backup where there will be a change over once one network fails.
On the issue of internet fraud, he reminded freight forwarders that this was simply a global issue, and that the team shall have consultants to pay special attention to it.
On the possibility of freight forwarders staying in their offices and clearing goods, he explained that this will be for a question of time.
According to him, the number of people to have access to the portal shall depend on the association.
President of NAGAFF, Chief Tochukwu Ezisi, while welcoming the team said that the government has the duty of creating awareness among the importers, exporters and Customs Service.
Ezisi stressed the need for freight forwarders to also educate their importers to be correct in their declarations under the NSW regime.
He also assured the project team that his association will be ready to partner with the government for the success of the project.
The NSW policy is about streamlining trade processes as well as to reduce bottlenecks. It was launched by President Bola Tinubu in April 2024 and expected to generate over $3 billion annually by providing a unified digital platform for trade facilitation, according to the government.
It seeks to boost trade efficiency and transparency.
By Francis Ugwoke
For the National Single Window (NSW) initiative in Nigeria to record expected success, the importers and their freight forwarders must have to be honest in their declarations of imports arriving the nation’s ports.
This was the position of the National Single Window Project Team when they visited the headquarters of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) on Tuesday.
The team leader, Mr Tola Kolade who fielded questions from members of NAGAFF explained that the project was aimed at improving clearing processes at the ports and making it faster than what it has been the case over the years.
Members of the association wanted to know how the NSW will address issues of network, internet fraud, delay, double submission of documents to different agencies of government, and other issues that often times affect importers and their customs agents when clearing goods at the ports.
Kolade disclosed his team is currently on sensitization programme in which it will meet all associations, importers and exporters and get necessary information to ensure the project works well.
He said that the team is working with the Nigeria Customs Service, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Ports Authority and other regulatory agencies to be able to deliver on the project.
Assuring that the team will deliver on its assignment in line with the federal government objective, he however, said the project is not a journey that will be completed in a day.
According to him, it will start with crawling, step by step, before reaching its expected destination.
He told the NAGAFF members that the NSW will be a central portal for freight forwarders, adding that all the different systems/portals currently being used by the agencies in the ports will later be integrated.
According to him, it is not about replacing any system but integration of all the different systems.
Kolade made it clear that NSW will lead to elimination of submission of documents to different agencies of government when clearing goods by freight forwarders on behalf of their importers.
He also said that it will bring to an end the issue of physical examination of goods at the ports, explaining that going by global standard, not all containers in the ports will be examined.
But he made it clear that this will only be so when full implementation will be achieved in about 10 years.
He added that this will only be so with declarants being correct, stating that everyone has to play his part.
On network issue, he assured that the team will not rely on one network provider, explaining that there will be a lot of backup where there will be a change over once one network fails.
On the issue of internet fraud, he reminded freight forwarders that this was simply a global issue, and that the team shall have consultants to pay special attention to it.
On the possibility of freight forwarders staying in their offices and clearing goods, he explained that this will be for a question of time.
According to him, the number of people to have access to the portal shall depend on the association.
President of NAGAFF, Chief Tochukwu Ezisi, while welcoming the team said that the government has the duty of creating awareness among the importers, exporters and Customs Service.
Ezisi stressed the need for freight forwarders to also educate their importers to be correct in their declarations under the NSW regime.
He also assured the project team that his association will be ready to partner with the government for the success of the project.
The NSW policy is about streamlining trade processes as well as to reduce bottlenecks. It was launched by President Bola Tinubu in April 2024 and expected to generate over $3 billion annually by providing a unified digital platform for trade facilitation, according to the government.
It seeks to boost trade efficiency and transparency.
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