Maritime Expert Raises Concerns Over Nigeria’s Single Window Platform, Calls For Holistic Reform
Maritime Expert Raises Concerns Over Nigeria’s Single Window Platform, Calls For Holistic Reform
Dr Segun Musa
By Frank Odinukaeze
As the Nigerian government pushes forward with the implementation of the Single Window Platform for trade facilitation, an industry stakeholder has voiced serious concerns over the system’s practicality, warning that its effectiveness is being overstated and misunderstood.
Speaking in an interview with Premium News Daily, recently ,Dr Segun Musa,emphasized that the Single Window is “nothing special” without functional and efficient component agencies. The platform, designed to streamline interactions among various regulatory bodies involved in import and export operations, is being described by critics as a glorified hub that simply brings together different actors.
“Single Window is like a room where several individuals live together. If one person is sick, the entire system is affected,” the source said. “If Customs, NAFDAC, or any other agency on the platform is not operationally sound, then the whole purpose of the Single Window is defeated.”
Musa warned that many are being misled by the narrative that the platform will revolutionize trade. According to him, unless all participating agencies develop their own robust automation systems and align on operational efficiency, the platform is merely symbolic.
Criticism was also directed at the initial governance structure of the platform. The proposal that Nigeria Customs Service would oversee the system was blatantly rejected by the NAGAFF chieftain, citing concerns about transparency and national security. “We cannot hand over such a strategic national platform to a single agency, especially one with a history of integrity issues,” the source stressed.
Instead, he advocated for the creation of a multi-agency committee comprising both public and private sector actors known for integrity. “This shouldn’t be controlled by Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) or Customs alone. It requires a balanced, collaborative oversight body.”
The discontent points to a broader skepticism about the implementation of digital governance tools without addressing core structural inefficiencies in the agencies themselves. “What we are seeing is a lot of jamboree and media hype, but little is being said about the actual functionality of the systems involved,” the source concluded.
As Nigeria aims to enhance its ease of doing business ranking and boost economic competitiveness, the success of the Single Window Platform may depend less on the platform itself and more on the efficiency, accountability, and cooperation of the agencies behind it.
