• As NSW set for Q1 2026 rollout

Nigeria’s port digitalisation drive has achieved major milestones with the Electronic Call-Up System processing 3.4 million truck movements since February 2021 while slashing cargo transportation costs by 65 per cent, as the nation prepares to launch the National Single Window (NSW) platform in the first quarter of 2026, to cut clearance time to less than 24 hours.

The twin technological interventions are positioned to transform Nigeria’s maritime logistics landscape and strengthen the country’s competitiveness as a regional trade hub, according to officials at All Nigerian Maritime Journalist Retreat organised by the Maritime Correspondents Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) in Lagos.

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, said the E-Call Up System has evolved from an emergency response to tackle gridlock into a robust digital logistics management framework delivering measurable gains in efficiency and orderliness along the Apapa and Tin Can Island port corridors.

“The E-Call Up System, known as ETO, was introduced by the Management of Nigerian Ports Authority on 27th February 2021. It was conceived as a digital reform to restore order, transparency, and efficiency to the Port access roads,” Dantsoho stated during his address at the retreat with the theme “Maximising Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Import and Export Trade” held at Lekki Free Zone on December 4, 2025.

He explained that prior to the system’s deployment, the Apapa and Tin Can corridors were overwhelmed by indiscriminate truck movements, gridlock and long dwell times, conditions that severely undermined trade facilitation and economic productivity.

“Today, the E-Call Up System has become a transformative tool, enabling structured truck inflow, improving logistics coordination, and aligning Nigerian port operations with global best practices,” he said.

Dantsoho disclosed that NPA recently undertook a comprehensive review of the E-Call Up framework, resulting in two significant advancements. The first is the redesign and security enhancement of ETO tickets, which are now tied directly to Terminal Delivery Orders and Vehicle Entry Permits to ensure traceability and eliminate fraudulent duplication or resale.

“This ensures traceability, eliminates fraudulent duplication or resale, and strengthens transparency across the evacuation process. The redesigned ticketing framework directly addresses vulnerabilities previously exploited by bad actors and enhances the integrity of the system,” he explained.

The second advancement, he said, is the full integration of terminal gate barriers with the ETO platform, ensuring barriers open only after verifying valid, electronically authenticated tickets.

“This prevents criss-crossing of trucks, eliminates unauthorised diversions, and ensures that trucks only enter Terminals for which they have been properly scheduled. This advancement has improved sequencing, reduced human interference, and reinforced operational discipline across the port value chain,” Dantsoho said.

He assured stakeholders that under the current leadership, NPA remains resolute in deepening reforms and ensuring the port corridor never returns to the era of chronic congestion.

“Our goal is clear: to support Nigeria’s long-term trade facilitation objectives and strengthen our country’s global competitiveness,” he stated.

The Managing Director of Truck Transit Parks Limited, the concessionaire managing the electronic call-up system, Jama Onwubuariri provided detailed statistics on the platform’s performance since inception. He revealed that cargo transportation costs have dropped from as high as N1.4 million to between N350,000 and N500,000, representing approximately 65 per cent reduction.

“Since inception, the system has processed approximately 3.4 million truck movements in four years and nine months. Truck turnaround time has fallen from two to three weeks to two to three days,” Onwubuariri disclosed during his presentation.

He recalled the severity of the gridlock before the reforms, noting that traffic in Apapa was so severe that commuters abandoned their vehicles and resorted to motorcycles and boats to reach their workplaces, with gridlock stretching from Apapa to Surulere and Mile 2, obstructing emergency services and crippling businesses.

“Today, the situation has improved dramatically as most Apapa access roads now experience free traffic flow, with congestion limited mainly to the ‘Mr. Biggs axis’ near the port gates,” he explained.

Onwubuariri said the company has introduced 170 new feature updates to address emerging issues while maintaining 100 per cent uptime since the platform launched in February 2021, an achievement he noted surpasses even some global tech platforms that experienced downtime in the same period.

The TTP boss disclosed that the platform has been synchronised with the Central Bank’s Nigerian Export Proceeds portal, ensuring exporters complete regulatory processes before booking port access.

However, he identified persistent challenges including truck plate number duplication and use of fake or cloned numbers, non-compliance with Terminal Delivery Orders, terminal efficiency gaps where some operators take up to three hours to process trucks, and extortion by security officials creating artificial bottlenecks.

“While the electronic system has curtailed bribery by eliminating manual clearance, some uniformed personnel still exploit truckers, demanding payments before allowing movement,” Onwubuariri stated.

To address these gaps, TTP has proposed deploying a new E-tag digital identity system on truck windscreens to eliminate identity fraud, linking all bookings with standardised interchange transaction numbers tied to Vehicle Entry Permits or Terminal Delivery Orders, improved terminal infrastructure investment, stronger consequence management for violators, and firm government directives to curb extortion by security agencies.

“There are still people who hear ‘Apapa’ and shake their heads because of the terrible experiences they had before 2021,” Onwubuariri said, reaffirming TTP’s commitment to working with NPA and relevant stakeholders to sustain the gains.

On the National Single Window project, the Head of Change and Stakeholder Management for the NSW, Ayokunnu Ojeniyi, who represented the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, revealed that Nigeria has entered the most advanced stage of implementation since first adopting the concept many years ago.
Ojeniyi explained that the current level of progress represents a major milestone, noting this is the first time the country has produced a working version of the platform for public and institutional review, describing the development as a turning point in Nigeria’s long, repeated attempts to implement a single window system.

“The National Single Window is structured as a central digital platform through which all importers, exporters and trade operators can submit standardised documentation once, allowing all relevant government agencies to access the information simultaneously,” Ojeniyi stated.

He said the system will eliminate duplication, minimise delays, reduce manual handling of documents and improve visibility across the entire regulatory chain, adding that while countries like Ghana have used similar systems successfully for more than a decade, Nigeria is building a version designed to exceed regional performance benchmarks.

“The NSW is expected to cut clearance time to less than 24 hours when fully operational, significantly reduce the country’s average export processing duration, lower business costs and enhance transparency across all trade agencies,” he emphasised.

Ojeniyi explained that the platform will strengthen customs risk management and streamline overlapping roles between regulatory institutions such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, helping eliminate long-standing bottlenecks that have increased the cost of doing business in Nigeria.

He disclosed that progress has accelerated since President Bola Tinubu launched the implementation phase in April 2024, with the project team completing detailed business process analysis, implementing the first round of User Acceptance Testing with several regulatory agencies, and beginning additional rounds of testing with NPA and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.

“Another phase of testing is scheduled for January 2026, while full scale training for all users across the trade ecosystem will begin in February,” he said, confirming the system has been designed to integrate seamlessly with the Nigeria Customs Service’s NICIS II platform.

Ojeniyi attributed the unprecedented level of progress to strong political backing, pointing out that the project’s steering committee operates from the Office of the President and includes all major trade-related agencies.
“The President’s consistent interest has provided the momentum needed to harmonize agency positions and push the project forward where earlier versions stalled,” he noted.

Citing international case studies, he said countries with operational single window systems have successfully reduced export processing times from more than ten days to just two or three, expressing confidence that Nigeria can match and surpass these results within one to two years of full implementation, positioning the country as a leading trade hub in West Africa.

“The benefits of the NSW will become evident quickly once the platform goes live,” Ojeniyi assured, calling for continued stakeholder support and public engagement as the rollout approaches.

The President of the Maritime Correspondents Organisation of Nigeria, Ismail Aniemu, underscored the importance of well-informed reporting in strengthening the nation’s maritime sector, explaining that the retreat was organised to equip journalists with knowledge needed to support major government policies. He emphasised the strategic role Nigeria plays as a central hub for West and Central Africa, noting that the country’s economic growth has significant regional impact.

“The maritime sector’s contribution to employment, access and exit systems, and national productivity means that inefficiencies such as prolonged vessel turnaround time slow economic progress and weaken competitiveness,” Aniemu stated.

Sakeholders agreed the developments demonstrate Nigeria’s commitment to leveraging technology for trade facilitation and positioning the country competitively in regional and global maritime commerce.