Sri Lanka is on track to pilot its transformative Trade National Single Window System (TNSWS) by end-2026, with full operations expected to commence in 2027.
This flagship reform, a long-felt need for the nation’s trade community, aims to slash red tape, reduce transaction costs and significantly enhance the efficiency of cross-border trade.
In a recent discussion with Mirror Business, TNSWS Project Director Neelakanth Wanninayake shared the project’s current progress, key upcoming decisions and long-term vision for creating a seamless digital trade environment.
The project, which officially commenced on October 1, 2024, is managed by a dedicated Project Implementation Unit (PIU) under the Finance Ministry.
“The project is structured in stages and we have successfully completed the preliminary stage, which ran until April 2025,” Wanninayake confirmed.
This initial phase included a comprehensive Need Assessment and Baseline Setting study, conducted by Deloitte Advisory Services (Pvt.) Ltd, which examined the readiness of 18 government agencies across business processes, IT infrastructure and legal frameworks.
“We are now moving into the implementation phase,” he added.
“We have recently contracted KPMG to develop the functional and technical specifications and prepare the bidding documents.”
This is a critical step that will define the exact requirements for the system vendor.
To ensure alignment and formal commitment, the Finance Ministry has also signed memoranda of understanding with all 18 participating government agencies.
A major policy decision is imminent regarding the core technology of the NSW. The government is currently evaluating different development models, a decision Wanninayake described as “a very important ... policy decision” that must be taken at the highest government level.
The options being weighed include a Bespoke system (developing a unique “organic” system from scratch, likely with an international or local vendor), UNCTAD/ASYCUDA system (adopting the platform developed by the UNCTAD, a low-cost solution designed to support developing nations) and Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) system (procuring a customisable, market-ready solution from an established international vendor.)
The Asian Development Bank has already provided technical assistance, including a comparative study of the UNCTAD system against the COTS products, which was presented to the stakeholders. The final recommendation will go from the project’s high-level steering committee, chaired by the Treasury Secretary, to the Cabinet for approval. A decision is anticipated by end-2025.
Once a system model is chosen and a vendor is mobilised—a milestone Wanninayake hopes to achieve by May 2025—the project will move toward a phased rollout.
The initial pilot programme, planned for the end of 2026, will integrate six key government agencies.
“We have selected six agencies for piloting,” Wanninayake stated, identifying them as Sri Lanka Customs (as the lead agency), Sri Lanka Standards Institution, Food Control Administrative Unit, Import and Export Control Department, National Plant Quarantine Service and Animal Quarantine Department.
This pilot will cover import, export and transshipment processes, paving the way for the full integration of all 18 agencies and five private sector chambers by 2027.
The ultimate goal of the TNSWS is to revolutionise Sri Lanka’s trade ecosystem, a key component of its WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement commitments.
“Through the single window, what we are trying to do is to enhance efficiency, reduce transaction costs and save time,” Wanninayake emphasised.
“Those are the three key KPIs.”
He stressed that this efficiency is essential for Sri Lanka to remain competitive as a regional logistics hub, especially with new ports emerging in the region.
The system will provide a single electronic gateway for traders to submit all regulatory documents, eliminating the need to physically visit multiple agencies and creating a transparent, paperless environment.
Regarding the long-term management of the system post-2027, Wanninayake noted that while it is “too early to comment” definitively, several internationally recognised operational models are being studied. These include a system operated directly by Customs (as in South Korea), a public-private partnership model funded by user fees (as in Singapore and Malaysia) and a fully government-owned company (as in Indonesia).
The final governance structure will be decided as the project nears completion, with a focus on financial sustainability and operational excellence.
Wanninayake was also candid about the project’s complexity, noting it involves coordinating 18 agencies across nine ministries.
He stated that a primary challenge was re-establishing trust with the private sector, which had grown sceptical of “long-delayed reform”.
To manage this, the PIU has implemented a robust stakeholder engagement strategy, including high-level inter-ministerial committees and technical sub-committees, to ensure all parties remain aligned and committed to the project’s success.
