Importers face N100,000 daily demurrage due to NSW delays, say Customs agents

By Efe Onodjae

Importers and clearing agents have voiced concerns over rising demurrage costs at Nigerian seaports, attributing the delays to the National Single Window (NSW) platform and its impact on cargo clearance times.

Lucky Amiwero, National President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), and other customs agents claim that some importers now face daily demurrage charges of up to N100,000 while waiting for approvals from regulatory bodies.

Speaking to Vanguard, Amiwero described the NSW platform as ineffective, arguing that it has complicated rather than streamlined port operations.

He said that delays in obtaining approvals from agencies such as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) have worsened congestion and increased the cost of doing business.

Amiwero contended that the current structure of the NSW falls short of the globally accepted model of a true single‑window platform.

“The National Single Window is not effective. What we have now is more of a multiple‑window system that duplicates Customs functions,” he said.

“A proper single window should involve single administration, single transaction, and single delivery. Once processes are harmonised at the backend, cargo clearance should be seamless.”

“But importers are still required to interact separately with agencies like NAFDAC and SON. That defeats the purpose of a single‑window system.”

Amiwero further alleged that the Nigerian Revenue Service, which is driving the initiative, lacks the expertise required for customs and import procedures, insisting that tax administration and customs operations should remain separate.

According to him, consignments are often trapped at terminals for weeks due to delays in approvals and documentation processing, leading to huge financial losses for importers.

“Some importers are paying close to N100,000 daily in demurrage because their cargoes remain uncleared for two or three weeks. Government needs to review the system and properly harmonise the process,” he added.

Responding to the allegations, the Director of Communications for NSW, Tola Fakolade, said criticisms of the platform largely stem from resistance to stricter compliance procedures introduced under the system.

He clarified that the first phase of the initiative was never designed to guarantee one‑day approvals for all regulatory processes.

“What we promised was a unified entry point where importers and stakeholders can process documentation seamlessly without moving from one agency office to another,” he said.

Fakolade acknowledged existing implementation challenges, particularly inherited backlogs within some agencies, but noted that efforts were ongoing to resolve them.

“For NAFDAC specifically, there was already a backlog before the National Single Window went live, and that accounts for some of the delays currently being experienced. However, the agency is working to clear the pending applications,” he added.

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