By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has formally transitioned into the Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) following President Bola Tinubu’s assent to the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency Act, 2026.
The Act establishes NPERA as the statutory authority responsible for the economic regulation of ports in the country.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, Mr Ibrahim Shema, chairman of the NPERA governing board, described the development as a major institutional reform aimed at creating a more transparent, predictable, and competitive port environment.
Mr Shema said NPERA would be responsible for the economic regulation of port services and related activities, including tariffs and charges, licensing, service standards, fair competition, commercial dispute resolution, trade facilitation, and protection of port users.
He said the new framework is expected to provide greater regulatory certainty for shipping lines and terminal operators, while offering importers, exporters, freight forwarders, and clearing agents more predictable procedures, fairer charges, and improved mechanisms for resolving disputes.
The chairman clarified that the establishment of NPERA does not create a competing authority with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
“While the Nigerian Ports Authority will retain responsibility for port infrastructure and its landlord functions, NPERA will provide independent economic oversight within its statutory mandate,” Mr Shema said.
He said NPERA’s regulatory approach will be anchored on five principles: transparency, fairness, predictability, efficiency, and accountability.
The board’s chairman said the new agency would deploy technology and data to strengthen licensing, tariff administration, monitoring, compliance, reporting, and stakeholder engagement.
“The agency also plans to work with key maritime institutions, including the Nigerian Ports Authority, NIMASA and the Nigeria Customs Service, as well as terminal operators, shipping lines, freight forwarders, manufacturers, investors and other industry stakeholders,” he said.
Mr Shema said the immediate priority is to ensure an orderly transition from the NSC to NPERA, while maintaining continuity in essential regulatory functions and preserving institutional knowledge.
The chairman stressed that the success of the new agency would ultimately be measured by its impact on port users and the wider economy.
“Effective implementation of the Act should translate into better services, greater efficiency, lower uncertainty, fair competition, and stronger trade facilitation,” Shema added.
On his part, Mr Pius Akutah, executive secretary and chief executive of NPERA, expressed optimism that the new law would significantly clarify the regulatory environment governing Nigeria’s ports within the next one to two years.
Mr Akutah said the NPERA Act would give the agency stronger powers to improve commercial dispute resolution and protect the interests and welfare of port users and other stakeholders, adding that the new regulatory framework would enable the agency to deliver a more efficient, transparent, and competitive Nigerian port system.
