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The Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) has officially commenced operations, marking a major change in the way commercial activities at the nation’s seaports will be regulated.
The new agency, established under the Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency Act, 2026, is expected to bring greater order, transparency and predictability to the port business while improving Nigeria’s competitiveness as a regional trade hub.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos yesterday, Chairman of the NPERA Governing Board, Dr. Ibrahim Shema, described the development as a major milestone in the evolution of Nigeria’s port system.
Shema said the new law gives permanent legal backing to economic regulation of the ports, replacing the interim arrangement under which the Nigerian Shippers’ Council had performed the role since 2014.
According to him, the history of port economic regulation dates back to the establishment of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in 1978 and the concessioning of port terminals in 2006.
Under the new framework, NPERA will regulate port tariffs and charges, licensing, service standards, competition, commercial disputes and trade facilitation, while also protecting the interests of port users.
The chairman stressed that the agency’s emergence would not create a power struggle with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), which will continue to handle port infrastructure and its landlord responsibilities.
“This is not about creating competing authorities. It is about establishing a coherent system in which institutions work together, each within its statutory responsibilities,” Shema said.
He said NPERA would focus on eliminating unnecessary regulatory hurdles, reducing uncertainty for businesses and improving the speed of cargo movement through Nigerian ports.
He identified transparency, fairness, predictability, efficiency and accountability as the principles that would guide the agency’s operations.
On port charges, Shema said the new system would provide clearer information on how regulated tariffs are determined, while giving terminal operators and other service providers a better understanding of their regulatory obligations.
He also promised easier access to dispute-resolution mechanisms and greater use of digital platforms for licensing, tariff management, monitoring, compliance and engagement with stakeholders.
Shema assured stakeholders that the transition from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to NPERA would be handled without unnecessary disruption, with attention to staff, assets, liabilities, existing contracts, pending disputes, regulatory records and licences.
He called for cooperation among the NPA, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigeria Customs Service, terminal operators, shipping companies, freight forwarders, importers, exporters and other stakeholders.
“The establishment of NPERA is a historic achievement, but the harder work begins now,” he said, stressing that the real test would be the agency’s ability to convert the new law into better services, improved efficiency and stronger competitiveness.
The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NPERA, Dr. Pius Akutah, also expressed confidence that the new regulatory regime would significantly improve the business environment at the ports within the next one to two years.
Akutah said the agency would pursue fair pricing, stronger competition, improved trade facilitation and increased government revenue.
He added that the NPERA Act gives the agency enhanced powers to resolve commercial disputes and safeguard the interests of port users.
The commencement of NPERA effectively separates economic regulation from the management of port infrastructure and landlord functions, creating a dedicated institution for overseeing the commercial side of Nigeria’s ports.
For importers, exporters, shipping companies, terminal operators and other port users, the new regime is expected to provide greater clarity on tariffs, licensing, service standards and commercial disputes.
However, the effectiveness of NPERA will ultimately depend on whether the new agency can translate its legal powers into lower regulatory uncertainty, faster cargo clearance, improved port efficiency and a more competitive Nigerian maritime sector.
