The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS’s) home-grown cutting-edge technology, the B’ Odogwu, will be integrated with the National Single Window (NSW) when the unified payment platform comes into effect in the first quarter of 2026.
Customs Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi, who gave the assurance, said B’Odogwu, like other payment systems operated by sister revenue collection agencies, will be integrated with the NSW once it becomes operational.
Adeniyi’s assurance puts to rest fears in some quarters that the NSW, the unified payment platform to be unveiled next year by the Federal Government will conflict with the NCS’s B’ Odogwu.
The NCS boss said stakeholders and the trading public need not worry about the development because fruitful discussions that will streamline trade processes are ongoing among multiple government agencies that are involved in the implementation of the NSW.
“There is no going back on the policy because B’ Odogwu is a key part of modernising Customs operations and will be central to achieving paperless Customs administration and a transparent, technology-driven trade process,” he clarified.
Adeniyi said B’ Odogwu is a flagship project with phased improvements, continuous upgrades and ongoing stakeholder engagement to address problems and ensure its success.
He added that the ultimate goal is to connect all relevant agencies involved in import and export activities to create a centralised portal to facilitate trade, reduce cost and time.
Adeniyi said: “This project is not just about technology; it is about building a modern trade ecosystem where government agencies work as one to serve the trading community with efficiency, transparency and speed.”
He, however, added that the NSW’s success would depend on a collaborative and integrated ecosystem where government agencies work as one, not just on technology alone.
He blamed past failures in implementing the NSW on fragmented systems and a lack of stakeholder buy-in, stressing the need for process re-engineering, capacity building, and continuous engagement for the current initiative to succeed by its projected Q1 2026 launch.
The Customs C-G, along with others, including the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman; the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Akutah Pius Ukeyima; the Executive Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji; the Director of the NSW, Tola Fakolade; and the Chief Investment Officer of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Kolawole Owodunni, described the NSW as a “transformational initiative.”
According to them, the NSW will reshape the country’s trade landscape by bringing revenue collection agencies into a unified digital platform for faster clearance of goods at reduced costs, and as well improve efficiency.
Usman stated, for instance, that the collaborative nature of the upcoming payment ecosystem is such that while many government agencies already have their own ICT platforms, these systems often exist in silos.
She, however, said with the NSW, Nigeria will now have one unified digital platform where all agencies can connect, collaborate and operate seamlessly.
This integration, she added, is what will position Nigeria to take its rightful place as a nation ready for global business, powered by technology and innovation.
“The NSW is a symbol of efficiency, transparency and Nigeria’s readiness to compete on the world stage, Usman emphasised.
On his part, the NSC boss, Dr. Ukeyima, underscored the importance of the NSW in reshaping Nigeria’s trade landscape, saying it’s a bold step towards strengthening the non-oil sector as a key driver of Nigeria’s economy.
Ukeyima emphasised that the true success of the NSW will depend on the collective effort of all stakeholders, including government agencies, private sector players, and the trading community, working together to achieve its vision.
He pointed out that with NSW, Nigeria has a unique opportunity to diversify its economy, unlock new value and deliver seamless trade for the benefit of all.
The NSIA Chief Investment Officer, Owodunni, acknowledged the challenges in Nigeria’s trade system, but emphasised that the NSW presents a golden opportunity to overcome them.
He agreed that the platform will simplify trade, reduce inefficiencies and unlock economic potential, benefits that, in his opinion, can only be realised if all stakeholders work together.
Owodunni said this is not just a policy reform, but a national project that requires collaboration, commitment and shared vision.
“If we seize this moment, the NSW will transform trade facilitation in Nigeria and position our economy for greater competitiveness on the global stage,” he stated.
The National. Public Relations Officer of Customs, Abdullah Maiwada, said the tripartite meeting hosted by Adeniyi and attended by the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Dr. Adedeji and the Director of the NSW Project, Tola Fakolade, at the NCS Headquarters in Abuja, earlier in August, reviewed progress on the NSW Project and outlined final steps toward its operational take-off in the first quarter of 2026.
The Director of the NSW, Fakolade, clarified the status of B’ Odogwu post-NSW project implementation, saying, “B’ Odogwu has come to stay, it is not going anywhere because its lofty ideals and goals are in line with the Single Window Project.”
He, however, said “the only adjustment we expect is that once the NSW project takes off at the end of Q1 2026, B’ Odogwu, like all other platforms being operated by Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and others, will be collapsed into the NSW. For instance, Customs licensed agents may have to access B’ Odogwu through the NSW platform.”
