Importers and clearing agents have expressed concern over growing demurrage Cost and Charges at Nigerian seaports, blaming delays associated with the National Single Window platform for slowing down cargo clearance and increasing business costs.
The National President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Lucky Amiwero, said some importers now spend up to N100,000 daily in demurrage cost while waiting for approvals from regulatory agencies. He argued that the National Single Window has failed to simplify operations and has instead created additional challenges for port users.
According to Amiwero, delays involving agencies such as NAFDAC and SON have contributed to congestion at the ports and extended the time required to clear goods. He maintained that the current National Single Window structure does not reflect the globally recognised model of a true single-window system.
“The National Single Window is not effective. What we have now is more of a multiple-window system that duplicates Customs functions,” he said.
“A proper single window should involve single administration, single transaction, and single delivery. Once processes are harmonised at the backend, cargo clearance should be seamless.
“But importers are still required to interact separately with agencies like NAFDAC and SON. That defeats the purpose of a single-window system.”
Amiwero also claimed that the agency leading the initiative lacks the specialised knowledge required for customs and import procedures. He noted that many consignments remain at terminals for weeks because of approval and documentation delays, leading to significant financial losses.
Responding to the concerns, Tola Fakolade, Director of Communications for the National Single Window, said many criticisms stem from resistance to stricter compliance measures introduced under the platform. He explained that the first phase of the National Single Window was designed to provide a single access point for documentation processing rather than guarantee one-day approvals.
Fakolade acknowledged existing implementation challenges, including backlogs inherited from some agencies. He stated that efforts are ongoing to address the delays, particularly those affecting NAFDAC, which had pending applications before the platform became operational.
