….Nigeria’s Single Window Implementation Needs Skilled Practitioners – ANLCA Calls for Better Trained Industry Hands..
By Amina Ojelabi
The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has reiterated its commitment to strengthening professional capacity and deepening global knowledge exchange across the maritime and customs brokerage industry. This follows the association’s participation in a high-level National Single Window engagement held recently in Senegal.
Speaking on the objectives and outcomes of the trip, ANLCA’s Vice President, Segun Oduntan, described the programme as “fantastic and highly instructive,” emphasising that it enabled Nigerian participants to interact with African countries already advanced in Trade Single Window deployment.
Oduntan explained that several countries at the event have operated the system for many years, placing them well ahead of Nigeria in terms of practical experience and implementation maturity.
“We met people from other African countries who are far ahead of us. Learning from their real experiences helps us understand what to expect. When challenges arise here, we can confidently say, ‘This is how it works,’ because nothing is new and nothing is coming from the moon,” he said.
The training also featured joint participation by the Nigerian Single Window Team and officials of the Nigeria Customs Service, which Oduntan said ensured that all key agencies received firsthand exposure to global best practices.
“We obtained firsthand information and firsthand experience. When we return home, we can align perspectives and strengthen cooperation with those working directly on the Single Window project,” he added.
Oduntan stressed that the overarching objective of the trip was capacity building, noting that this has remained a core pillar of ANLCA’s NECOM administration. He explained that the association places strong emphasis on returning from international engagements to train its members through structured in-house sessions.
“Not everyone practicing in the industry is an ANLCA member. But for our members, we ensure we come back and break down what we’ve learned. We share, discuss, and align internally so we can operate smoothly with the Single Window team and the Nigeria Customs Service,” he noted.
He further highlighted that the success of Nigeria’s Single Window initiative hinges on sustained knowledge transfer and improved information integration across the supply chain.
“Information integration has to grow. We must operate almost at the same level as the countries we are learning from. Training and capacity building are not optional they are central to our mandate,” he concluded.
ANLCA reaffirmed its readiness to continue supporting Nigeria’s transition into a fully digital trade environment, ensuring that its members remain informed, technologically responsive, and positioned for the future of port operations
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