How New NPERA Powers Will Sanitise Nigeria’s Ports, Protect Investments, Promote Efficiency — DG Akutah
The Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) says the powers conferred on it by the NPERA Act 2026 will help sanitise Nigeria’s ports, protect investments and promote efficiency as the country seeks to position the maritime sector as a major driver of economic growth.
The Director General/Chief Executive Officer of NPERA, Dr Pius Akutah, stated this when the executive members of the Maritime Correspondents’ Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) paid a courtesy visit to him on Tuesday.
Akutah said the legislation has fundamentally changed the regulatory landscape, stressing that the transformation from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to NPERA is “not just merely a change of name”.
He explained that the law gives the agency extensive powers to establish standards and ensure that all players in the port sector operate within a clear and impartial regulatory framework.
According to him, the objective is to create a level playing field in which neither service users nor service providers are targeted, while compliance with established rules becomes the standard for operations.
“Now, there will be a level playing field for everybody, meaning that the law is not targeting a service user or a service provider, but it’s going to be an arbiter, very impartial, sitting in the midst of all players and ensuring that everybody plays by the rules,” Akutah said.
He said the framework would also strengthen the competitiveness of Nigerian ports by creating a spirit of excellence among port users and enabling the facilities to compete with ports in other countries.
On tariffs, Akutah said NPERA would be responsible for adjustments and enforcement aimed at protecting the economy and investments in the maritime sector.
He explained that the law also establishes a deterrent regime against activities capable of undermining the transformation taking place in the industry.
“That is not to say that during the enforcement period of this law, people will view it as a monster that has been created. No. We have only created a deterrent regime so that people are deterred from doing certain things,” he stated.
Akutah added that the agency would become a revenue-generating, while fines will be imposed for infractions, and certain breaches could attract criminal prosecution under the law.
He said the effectiveness of the new regulatory framework would depend on applying its provisions firmly and fairly.
“The law is not respectful of persons. It will be applied in a very firm but effective manner that it will achieve the purpose for which it is made,” he maintained.
The NPERA boss also disclosed that the agency would strengthen its dispute resolution mechanism to reduce the time and cost associated with maritime disagreements.
“We are going to strengthen that because we know that maritime disputes are time-consuming, and very expensive also. It is better for us to find alternative ways of resolving these disputes so that they do not, in the long run, hamper our trade facilitation efforts,” he said.
Akutah said the reforms are also aligned with the Federal Government’s ambition to make the maritime sector a major driver of the economy, stressing that the sector must be sanitised and positioned to contribute to the target of a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
On the ongoing transition to NPERA, he disclosed that the agency would hand over Inland Dry Ports to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), following a directive from the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
He said the decision reflects the distinction between regulation and infrastructure development, noting that NPERA should not regulate the sector while also promoting infrastructure within it.
“As a regulator, we cannot be regulating the sector and also promoting the development of infrastructure within the sector. So we are going to hand it over to the NPA,” Akutah said.
He added that the transition process would involve relevant stakeholders and sister agencies, with efforts ongoing to ensure that everyone is carried along.
Akutah also appealed for continued media partnership to help the public understand the provisions of the NPERA Act and maintain realistic expectations about the agency’s responsibilities.
“We need your support, we need your partnership, because what you tell the public will also go a long way in helping us. For the public needs to know what is in this law,” he said.
He assured the media that NPERA would remain open and provide adequate information to support accurate reporting as it begins the next phase of economic regulation in Nigeria’s ports.
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