Calabar stakeholder town hall strengthens collaboration for trade facilitation & NSW implementation

The National Single Window (NSW) Secretariat, in collaboration with the Calabar and Gulf of Guinea Municipal and Trade Centre (C-GoGMTC) Ltd and the Cross River State Government, convened a stakeholder town hall meeting on 15th of April 2026 in Calabar to drive awareness and engagement on trade facilitation reforms. The meeting brought together key stakeholders from government agencies, including the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Ports Authority, and business environment reform bodies, all united by a shared goal: enhancing ease of doing business in Nigeria through digital transformation.   

Discussions centered on the NSW platform as a digital solution for streamlining trade processes through a single entry point for documentation and approvals, with key benefits highlighted such as faster cargo clearance, improved inter-agency coordination, increased transparency, and enhanced government revenue generation, in alignment with Nigeria’s commitments under the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). A major emphasis was placed on empowering Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to leverage the platform to simplify procedures, reduce bottlenecks, and expand access to international markets, with stakeholders noting that inclusive SME participation is critical to the success of the initiative. Interactive sessions also identified key implementation priorities, including system integration across agencies, capacity building, stakeholder readiness, increased awareness for non-tech-savvy users, and the adoption of emerging technologies such as AI and block chain to improve efficiency and transparency.  

Stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to the continued success of the NSW, recognizing it as a transformative initiative enhancing efficiency, transparency, and accessibility in Nigeria’s trade ecosystem while strengthening overall economic competitiveness.