The Nigerian government has announced a target to reduce the average time for clearing cargo at the country’s ports to less than seven days by 2026.
Vice President Kashim Shettima confirmed the goal, describing a planned National Single Window policy as a “game changer” for port operations. He stated that the initiative aims to harmonise documentation, reduce human contact, and enhance transparency.
The announcement was made during the second meeting of the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Shettima lamented the current high costs and delays, noting that the price of clearing goods in Nigeria is 30 per cent higher than in many regional peers. He presented a stark comparison, revealing that “our ports record cargo dwell times 475 per cent above the global average benchmark.”
“We cannot afford to continue down this path,” he declared, adding that such inefficiencies “discourage investment, raise consumer prices, and weaken export competitiveness.”
The Vice President expressed optimism that the implementation of the National Single Window in the first quarter of 2026 would transform port operations. The broader objective is to elevate Nigerian ports to rank among the top three most efficient trade gateways in Africa.
To achieve this, Shettima directed agencies including the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Nigerian Customs Service to develop a roadmap for an effective weights and measures framework. He explained that this would ensure fairness in trade and protect consumers from fraud.
He also highlighted a pending Executive Order on Joint Physical Inspection, which he said would address long-standing bottlenecks. “It marks the dawn of a new era where agencies work together and systems speak a common language,” he stressed, urging an end to inter-agency rivalry.
“The era of working in isolation was over,” Shettima stated. “No reform succeeds without ownership.”
Supporting this call for collaboration, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Mr Abubakar Dantsoho, emphasised that “until there is collaboration and partnership, you cannot achieve efficiency at the ports.” He listed technology adoption, infrastructure upgrades, and human capacity development as critical priorities for the goal.
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