SEA Empowerment and Research Center (SEREC) has called for an urgent recalibration of the National Single Window (NSW) implementation strategy to prevent disruptions, increase trade efficiency, avoid regression to inefficient and opaque legacy systems.

The research centre said the recent rollout of the NSW platform, though well-intentioned and strategically aligned with global trade facilitation standards, has resulted in operational disruptions, including the inability to process cargo declarations, escalating port congestion as well as increasing demurrage and storage costs.

SEREC stressed that the current implementation model has resulted in system-wide transactional paralysis, accumulation of cargo at terminals, increased cost burdens and erosion of stakeholder confidence.

SEREC stated this in a policy advisory to the presidency and the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, titled, ‘Stabilising Nigeria’s National Single Window: From Disruption to Structured Reform’, and signed by the Head of Research, Dr Eugene Nweke.

As part of immediate crisis containment measures, the research centre recommended the adoption of a hybrid operational model that would temporarily allow the parallel use of legacy cargo declaration systems while maintaining the NSW in a controlled testing phase.

The research body also called for temporary cost relief measures, including the suspension of demurrage and storage charges linked to system-induced delays as well as a regulatory directives to shipping lines and terminal operators.

SEREC proposed the establishment of a multi-agency crisis coordination centre comprising the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Shippers’ Council and system providers to enable real-time resolution of technical and procedural challenges.

For short-term system stabilisation, SEREC advised the Federal Government to pilot and deploy full NSW implementation and functionality at low-volume and selected ports, such as Calabar and Warri, using them for live testing and system optimisation.

The centre said this should be complemented by a comprehensive system audit to identify technical failures, integration gaps and address interface issues across agencies.

SEREC noted that the system was deployed nationwide without pilot testing at low-traffic ports, incremental validation of operational modules and controlled migration strategy.

The advisory further emphasised the need for a stakeholder re-engagement framework that ensures mandatory onboarding, compliance alignment and structured feedback integration mechanisms.

Looking ahead, SEREC outlined a medium-term strategy beginning with gradual expansion to high-volume ports and deployment to major ports only after achieving system stability benchmarks and near-total interoperability before migration among all stakeholders.

The advisory also called for strengthened legal and regulatory backing through enforceable legislation supporting NSW operations to define compliance obligations across stakeholders in the maritime sector.

To ensure long-term sustainability measures, SEREC proposed independent performance audits, continuous system upgrades, benchmarking against leading global trade practices and the institutionalisation of stakeholder collaboration frameworks.

“Nigeria’s pursuit of the NSW is necessary and overdue, but its current challenges underscore a critical lesson – digital reform without structured implementation sequencing will disrupt rather than enhance trade efficiency,” SEREC noted.