Stakeholders in the maritime sector have been urged to embrace the National Single Window (NSW) initiative of the federal government, geared towards enhancing trans-border trade.

The NSW initiative, initiated by President Bola Tinubu, aims to achieve no less than $1 trillion in economic growth by 2030 in line with global economic growth projections.

Tola Fakolade, NSW project team lead, made the call at a stakeholders meeting on Friday in Port Harcourt.

Mr Fakolade commended the initiative and urged stakeholders to leverage the wide range of seamless trade opportunities it offers.

According to him, the federal government in April 2024 launched the NSW initiative to promote trade facilitation, revenue, and national security on Nigeria’s borders.

Mr Fakolade explained that the NSW was intended to harmonise the digital operational competencies of all MDAs.

He noted that the consolidation would help reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, which usually slow down import/export trade in the country.

“We hope that when NSW is fully implemented, existing bureaucratic bottlenecks hindering trade will be drastically reduced, as it would enhance transparency in business operations.

“The NSW would also enhance predictability of all business transactions and reduce person-to-person contacts in the trade ecosystem while also boosting the ease of doing business,” he said.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the comptroller general of customs, Bashir Adeniyi, applauded stakeholders for collaboration, describing the event as a defining moment for trade facilitation.

Represented by Kamal Mohammed, assistant comptroller general, Zone C, Port Harcourt, Mr Bashir urged stakeholders in the sector to embrace digitalisation.

According to him, digitalisation has continued to promote transparency in the maritime value chain.

“We urge you to collaborate with the federal government to make the project work, as it cannot achieve meaningful success in isolation.

“When fully on board, clearance processes as well as documentation would be easier and faster, thereby reducing expenditures,” he said.

Kingsley Igwe, the keynote speaker and registrar of the Council for Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), stressed the benefits of the NSW business initiative.

Mr Igwe also urged stakeholders to leverage modern technology and benefit from the harmonised structure it tends to provide.

Stakeholders applauded the innovation and expressed willingness to embrace it.

(NAN)