NAFEZA (Egypt Single Window)
NAFEZA is Egypt's national single window for foreign trade, the electronic platform through which importers, exporters and their agents interact with Egyptian Customs and the other agencies involved in clearance. Its centrepiece is the Advance Cargo Information (ACI) system: for sea (and now air) imports, the importer must register the shipment and submit its data through NAFEZA before the cargo is shipped/arrives, obtaining an ACID (Advance Cargo Information Declaration) number that must accompany the shipment.
Introduced from 2021, this pre-arrival, paperless system lets Customs perform advance risk assessment and has significantly changed Egyptian import procedures — cargo without a valid ACID can be refused. NAFEZA integrates permits, declarations and payments, aiming to cut clearance time and paperwork. For traders shipping to Egypt, completing the ACI/NAFEZA registration correctly and in advance is now a critical, deadline-driven step. For software, connecting to NAFEZA is central to Egyptian trade. It is the digital backbone of Egypt's reformed customs process, and the ACI requirement is a defining feature of importing into Egypt.
NAFEZA and its Advance Cargo Information system transformed Egyptian importing — shipments must be registered before they arrive and carry a valid ACID number, or be refused. For anyone shipping to Egypt, getting the ACI/NAFEZA registration right and on time is now a critical, deadline-driven step, making NAFEZA central to Egyptian trade and clearance.
What is an ACID number?
The Advance Cargo Information Declaration number obtained via NAFEZA before shipment; it must accompany the cargo, or the shipment can be refused.
When must ACI be submitted?
Before the cargo is shipped/arrives, so Egyptian Customs can perform advance risk assessment under the NAFEZA single window.