New Real-Time Reporting Tool Unveiled to Combat Maritime Inefficiencies
In a significant move to enhance transparency and accountability in Nigeria's maritime sector, the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) and the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) have jointly launched a groundbreaking real-time reporting tool. Known as the User Experience Diary, this innovative platform is designed to generate actionable data that will assist regulators and policymakers in identifying inefficiencies, addressing bottlenecks, and improving cargo clearance processes on the National Single Window (NSW) platform.
Collaborative Development and Key Features
The platform was developed by CRFFN in collaboration with MACN and the Convention on Business Integrity (CBi). It leverages advanced digital tools to capture comprehensive data on service failures, including patterns, timelines, and specific locations. This initiative aims to strengthen regulatory oversight by providing a structured mechanism for stakeholders to document their experiences along the cargo clearance chain. According to Kingsley Igwe, Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of CRFFN, the User Experience Diary, alongside a Complaint and Feedback Portal, will enable real-time reporting of operational bottlenecks, infractions, inefficiencies, and delays.
Speaking at the unveiling event in Lagos during a high-level stakeholders' engagement, Igwe emphasized that this tool supports ongoing reforms targeted at reducing costs and delays in cargo clearance, as well as eliminating process fragmentation. He highlighted that the data generated will also support enforcement actions by providing verifiable evidence of infractions within the cargo clearance chain. "This is a proactive initiative. We anticipated that there could be lapses or downtime, and there was a need for a backup where users can log their experiences and ensure that issues are not lost in the process," Igwe stated.
Driving Reforms Through Digital Reporting
Maria Gowon, Lead for West and Central Africa at MACN, underscored the critical role of collaboration and digital reporting in driving port reforms. She pointed out that previous successes in tackling inefficiencies and corruption on vessels were largely driven by structured reporting systems that transformed individual complaints into credible data for decision-making. Gowon explained that the introduction of the User Experience Diary extends this approach to cargo clearance operations on land, empowering operators to contribute to evidence-based reforms. She urged stakeholders to actively utilize the tool, emphasizing that data remains the foundation for meaningful change in the maritime sector.
Moses Fadipe, Technical Adviser on Maritime to CBI, noted that the structure was conceived ahead of time as a safeguard against possible system failures or downtime associated with the NSW. He explained that while the NSW is designed to integrate and digitize cargo clearance procedures, the reality of implementation challenges made it necessary to develop a parallel support structure. Fadipe stressed that the structured platform allows freight forwarders and other port users to document complaints, report inefficiencies, and escalate unresolved issues in real time. "The absence of such a mechanism in the past left many stakeholders without a reliable channel to seek redress during system breakdowns," he added.
Tangible Benefits and Future Goals
Soji Apampa, Chief Executive Officer of CBI, reinforced the importance of data and collective action, noting that sustained reporting efforts have led to a significant decline in extortion cases within Nigerian ports. Apampa revealed that interventions by MACN and its partners have helped industry players save over $300,000 in avoided extortion demands, underscoring the tangible benefits of transparency-driven initiatives. He also stressed the need for widespread adoption of data tools such as the User Experience Diary, noting that collective reporting across the ecosystem would produce credible evidence capable of influencing policy decisions.
Earlier in the event, Tola Fakolade, Director of the National Single Window Project, represented by Ayo Ojeniyi, NSW Stakeholder and Change Lead, described the NSW as a unified digital system designed to integrate multiple government agencies into a single interface for trade processes. He explained that the NSW would eliminate multiple channels of engagement, enable single submission of documents, and improve transparency through harmonized data sharing and centralized risk management. Fakolade added that the Federal Government is targeting a reduction in cargo clearance time from the current 12 to 21 days to just 24 hours in the medium term, alongside efforts to lower costs and improve overall efficiency.
