The Nigerian Shippers’ Council has formally transitioned into the Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), ushering in a new regulatory framework expected to reshape the economic management of Nigeria’s ports.
The transition follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency Act, 2026, which gives NPERA statutory responsibility for regulating the economic activities and services within the country’s ports.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, Chairman of the NPERA Governing Board, Dr. Ibrahim Shema, CON, said the establishment of the agency represents a significant reform aimed at making the port environment more transparent, predictable and competitive.
Shema said NPERA would regulate critical areas including port tariffs and charges, licensing, service standards, competition, commercial dispute resolution and the protection of port users.
He said the new regulatory structure would provide shipping lines and terminal operators with greater certainty, while giving importers, exporters, freight forwarders and clearing agents improved predictability in port procedures and charges.
According to him, the agency’s intervention in commercial disputes would also provide port users with a stronger institutional mechanism for addressing disagreements arising from port operations.
Shema, however, stressed that NPERA would not usurp the functions of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), noting that both institutions would operate within clearly defined statutory responsibilities.
While the NPA would retain its responsibility for port infrastructure and landlord functions, he said NPERA would focus on independent economic regulation of the sector. The Board Chairman identified transparency, fairness, predictability, efficiency and accountability as the principles that would guide the agency’s regulatory operations.
He added that technology and data would be deployed to strengthen licensing, tariff administration, compliance monitoring, reporting and engagement with stakeholders.
The new agency is also expected to collaborate with the NPA, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigeria Customs Service, terminal operators, shipping lines, freight forwarders, manufacturers, investors and other stakeholders in the implementation of the new regulatory regime.
Shema said one of the immediate priorities would be ensuring a seamless transition from the Shippers’ Council to NPERA without disrupting existing regulatory functions or losing institutional knowledge.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NPERA, Akutah Pius, expressed confidence that the new law would bring greater clarity to the regulatory environment governing Nigeria’s ports within the next one to two years.
Akutah said the Act had strengthened the agency’s powers to address commercial disputes and protect the interests and welfare of port users and other stakeholders.
He said the new framework would position NPERA to drive greater efficiency, transparency and competitiveness across the Nigerian port system.
One Comment