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FG Inches Closer To Implementation Of Single Window Policy For Efficiency At Nigerian Ports

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FG Inches Closer To Implementation Of Single Window Policy For Efficiency At Nigerian Ports

*As VP Shettima demands roadmap for weight and measures framework

*Tasks NPA, Customs, SON, NIS, others on inter-agency synergy

By: Our Reporter

The Federal Government has intensified efforts to actualize the implementation of the National Single Window at the nation’s ports by 2026.

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, said the policy aimed at creating a single platform to harmonise documentation, minimise human contact, and bring full transparency to the cargo clearance process would be a game changer at the ports

Senator Shettima, who stated this on Thursday during the second meeting of the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee at the Presidential Villa, noted that the target is to reduce average cargo clearance time from 21 days to less than seven days by the end of 2026, and to position Nigerian ports among the top three most potent trade corridors in Africa.

He stated: “By the end of 2026, we aim to reduce average cargo clearance time in Nigeria to under seven days and to position our ports among the top three most efficient trade gateways on the continent.

“The forthcoming implementation of the National Single Window in the first quarter of next year will be a game changer, a single platform that harmonises documentation, minimises human contact, and brings full transparency to the cargo clearance process.”

VP Shettima also directed the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and other relevant agencies to come up with a roadmap on how to make Nigeria’s weights and measures framework effective.

The weights and measures framework conducts regular surveillance and inspections across Nigeria to ensure that weighing and measuring equipment used in trade is accurate and that consumers receive the correct value for their money in line with standard global practice.

The main objective is to ensure consumer protection, which is achieved by preventing fraud and misrepresentation in commercial transactions involving weights and measures.

Demanding a roadmap for an effective weights and measures framework, the Vice President said the target is to improve port operations, make cargo clearance faster and more efficient by reducing average cargo clearance time from 21 days to less than seven days by the end of 2026, as well as position Nigerian ports among the top three most potent trade corridors in Africa.

Senator Shettima expressed dismay over cargo dwell time at Nigeria’s major ports, which he said “currently averages between 18 to 21 days,” compared to Ghana and Cotonou, Benin Republic, where it takes five to seven days and just four days respectively.

“The cost of clearing goods in Nigeria is estimated to be 30 percent higher than in many of our regional peers. Our ports record cargo dwell times 475 percent above the global average benchmark.

“These inefficiencies are not just statistics; they are symptoms of an economic ailment that costs us investments, drives up consumer prices, and weakens our export competitiveness. We simply cannot afford to continue down this path,” he noted.

The VP however expressed optimism that the Executive Order on Joint Physical Inspection, which is currently before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, “stands as one of the boldest and most decisive steps toward reversing these trends.

“It marks the dawn of a new era, an era where agencies work together, where systems speak a common language, and where traders and investors can depend on predictability, transparency, and speed,” he added.

The VP demanded synergy among the NPA, Nigerian Customs Service NAFDAC, SON, NIS and other relevant agencies, saying the era of working in silo was over.

His words: But no reform succeeds without ownership. Every agency represented here, the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Customs Service, NAFDAC, NDLEA, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Immigration, the Quarantine Service, and all our partners, must see ourselves not as isolated operators, but as links in a single, integrated value chain.

“The era of siloed operations must end. Inter-agency rivalry must give way to inter-agency synergy. We are only as efficient as our collaboration allows, and our success will depend not only on what we do individually, but on what we achieve together.”

Earlier, the Director General of PEBEC, Princess Zahrah Audu, drew attention to the impact of inefficient port operations on the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria, underscoring the imperative for a collective resolve among stakeholders to improve port operations, making cargo clearance faster and more efficient.

She decried the losses incurred as a result of the inefficiency at the nation’s ports while acknowledging the efforts of the Customs and Ports Efficiency Committee, describing the committee as a platform that represents not only interagency collaboration but also a shared commitment to making Nigeria’s ports globally competitive, transparent, and efficient.

For his part, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, emphasized the import of synergy in revamping the nation’s ports, noting that “until there is collaboration and partnership you cannot achieve efficiency at the ports”.

Highlighting steps taken by the ports authority to address bottlenecks faced by importers and exporters at the nation’s ports, the MD said the Customs and Ports Efficiency Committee established by the NPA is recording huge successes through the joint inspection and boarding by relevant agencies operating in the area.

He identified adoption of technology, improvement in infrastructure, human capacity building, and equipment and tools, as areas that can be improved to enhance port efficiency and ensure that Nigeria remains competitive and relevant in the sub-region, continent and beyond.

FG Inches Closer To Implementation Of Single Window Policy For Efficiency At Nigerian Ports

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National Progressive Hub (NPH) Urges Support for President Tinubu’s Second Tenure

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National Progressive Hub (NPH) Urges Support for President Tinubu's Second Tenure

National Progressive Hub (NPH) Urges Support for President Tinubu’s Second Tenure

By Comrade Philip Ikodor

The National Progressive Hub (NPH), a leading support group for the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on all Nigerians to rally behind President Ahmed Bola Tinubu GCFR for a successful second term in office come 2027.

In a statement, National Coordinator/Convener, Honorable Bukie Okangbe, praised the APC administration for its efforts towards nation-building and economic stability. Okangbe highlighted the NPH’s previous support for President Tinubu, including a National Security and Endorsement event in 2022 that contributed to the party’s successful general election outcome.

The NPH is gearing up for a Grand Endorsement event for President Tinubu’s second term, scheduled to hold on February 26th at the Musa Yaradua Center, CBD, Abuja. The event will also feature the inauguration of 36 state coordinators, including the FCT, and address critical national issues.

“We invite everyone to join us at this significant event,” Okangbe said. “Your presence will be a testament to our collective commitment to Nigeria’s progress and the APC’s vision for a better future.”

The event promises to be a landmark occasion, showcasing the NPH’s dedication to the APC and President Tinubu’s leadership.

National Progressive Hub (NPH) Urges Support for President Tinubu’s Second Tenure

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Borno: Zulum distributes farm tools, commissions school in Damasak

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Borno: Zulum distributes farm tools, commissions school in Damasak

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, on Sunday, distributed farm tools to farmers and commissioned a new high Islamic school in Damasak, headquarters of Mobbar Local Government Area.

Governor Zulum was accompanied by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, and the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari.

Zulum’s agricultural intervention aimed to boost dry-season farming and enhance the livelihoods of returnees who are gradually resettling in the community.

Zulum said, “From the beginning of this administration, dry season irrigation farming was adopted as a strategic component of the state’s food security framework. Recognising the limitations of rain-fed agriculture in the context of climate variability, insecurity, and population growth, the government implemented a dual-season production strategy to ensure year-round farming.”

He added, “Today’s distribution of 1,000 solar-powered water pumps and 200 complete tubewell drilling kits build upon earlier targeted interventions in Damasak and surrounding communities, including irrigation infrastructure development, mechanisation services, farmer-training, cooperative support, and security stabilisation measures.”

He stated, “The state remains aligned with the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit and continues collaboration with relevant Federal Ministries and development partners to strengthen agricultural productivity, processing, and market integration.”

At the commissioning of the newly constructed high Islamic school, Zulum noted, “the commissioning of the Higher Islamic College, Damasak, represents a major milestone in the state government’s policy to expand and modernise sangaya education across Borno State. This intervention reflects our commitment to building an inclusive education system that integrates spiritual development with academic and vocational advancement.”

“All Higher Islamic Colleges operate under the approved curriculum of the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS), enabling students to obtain O-Level equivalent certification and pursue further education where desired.”

In his remarks, the commissioner of education, Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe, underscores Governor Zulum’s giant strides, stating, “this institution forms part of a wider education recovery and expansion programme implemented across Borno State. Under the leadership of His Excellency,”

“The state has constructed One Hundred and Four (104) Mega Schools, rehabilitated and remodelled One Thousand and Eighty-Seven (1,087) classrooms, executed major works in forty (40) additional schools, restored thirty (30) flood-affected schools, and delivered numerous classroom projects through the State Universal Basic Education Board.”

“These strategic investments have yielded measurable progress. The number of out-of-school children has declined significantly from approximately 2.2 million to fewer than Eight Hundred Thousand (800,000). Current enrolment for the 2025 academic year stands at One Million Four Hundred and Eighteen thousand two hundred and seventy-nine (1,418,279) learners, with further increases expected as Women Leader, Hajiya Fati Alkali Kakenna.

Borno: Zulum distributes farm tools, commissions school in Damasak

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Air-ground offensive foils Kukawa attack, destroys gun trucks

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Air-ground offensive foils Kukawa attack, destroys gun trucks

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops have thwarted a coordinated multi-pronged terrorist assault on positions in Kukawa after a prolonged overnight battle supported by air strikes.

Military sources said the attackers, mounted on gun trucks, motorcycles and on foot, launched the assault from multiple directions late on Feb. 20.

Troops mounted a determined defence, engaging the insurgents in intense combat that lasted into the early hours of Feb. 21 before forcing them to withdraw while dragging away casualties.

Air strikes later destroyed one gun truck and several motorcycles carrying fleeing fighters, neutralising additional terrorists.

During follow-up exploitation, troops recovered 13 AK-47 rifles, 16 loaded magazines, three handheld radios, and other items believed to have been used by the attackers, as well as evidence of casualties evacuated by the group.

One soldier was killed during the encounter, while some equipment was damaged by rocket fire. Injured personnel were evacuated and are reported to be in stable condition.

Military authorities said the coordinated operations demonstrated sustained pressure on insurgent elements and continued efforts to degrade their combat capability across the theatre.

Air-ground offensive foils Kukawa attack, destroys gun trucks

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