NPERA Begins Operations, Targets Fair Port Tariffs, Faster Cargo Clearance

The Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) has commenced operations as the country’s dedicated economic regulator for the port sector, with a mandate to promote fair tariffs, faster cargo clearance, healthy competition and a more predictable business environment.

The agency’s take-off follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency Bill, 2026, which established NPERA as a statutory authority responsible for economic regulation across Nigeria’s ports.

Speaking on the development, Chairman of the NPERA Governing Board, Dr Ibrahim Shema, described the establishment of the agency as a major reform in Nigeria’s port governance system.

Shema said the development marked the culmination of decades of efforts to establish a dedicated framework for regulating the economic activities of the nation’s ports.

He traced the evolution of port economic regulation to the establishment of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in 1978 and the concessioning of port terminals in 2006.

According to him, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council was later designated as the interim Port Economic Regulator in 2014, where it handled responsibilities including tariff regulation, dispute resolution and protection of port users.

With the enactment of the NPERA Act, Shema said those responsibilities now have a permanent statutory foundation.

He explained that NPERA would oversee port tariffs and charges, licensing, service standards, fair competition, commercial disputes, trade facilitation and the protection of port users.

Shema stressed that the agency’s establishment would not create rivalry with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), which would continue to oversee port infrastructure and perform its landlord functions.

“This is not about creating competing authorities. It is about establishing a coherent system in which institutions work together, each within its statutory responsibilities,” he said.

The NPERA chairman said the agency would work to reduce regulatory uncertainty and unnecessary barriers while promoting efficient cargo movement and strengthening Nigeria’s competitiveness as a destination for trade and investment.

He identified transparency, fairness, predictability, efficiency and accountability as the five principles that would underpin the agency’s regulatory activities.

On port tariffs, Shema said the new regulatory framework would provide port users with greater clarity on the basis for regulated charges, while service providers would have clearer expectations regarding compliance.

He also announced plans to improve mechanisms for resolving commercial disputes and expand the use of digital platforms for licensing, tariff administration, regulatory monitoring, compliance and stakeholder engagement.

Shema assured stakeholders that the transition from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to NPERA would be carried out in an orderly manner with minimal disruption.

He said the transition would cover personnel, assets, liabilities, existing contracts, pending disputes, regulatory records and licensing arrangements.

The chairman called for continued cooperation among the NPA, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), terminal operators, shipping lines, freight forwarders, importers, exporters and other stakeholders.

He said the real test of the new agency would be its ability to translate the provisions of the NPERA Act into improved port services and greater efficiency.

“The establishment of NPERA is a historic achievement, but the harder work begins now,” Shema said.

Also speaking, the NPERA Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Pius Akutah, expressed optimism that the new regulatory framework would significantly improve clarity and certainty in Nigeria’s port sector within the next one to two years.

Akutah said NPERA would prioritise fair pricing, promote competition, facilitate trade and strengthen government revenue.

He added that the agency had been given stronger powers to resolve commercial disputes and protect the interests and welfare of port users and other stakeholders.

The commencement of NPERA represents a significant change in Nigeria’s port governance structure, with economic regulation now placed under a dedicated statutory institution separate from the NPA’s infrastructure and landlord responsibilities.

The new framework is expected to give port users and operators greater clarity over tariffs, charges, licensing and service standards while improving the predictability of the operating environment.

However, the effectiveness of NPERA will ultimately depend on how well it exercises its new powers to deliver faster cargo clearance, improved port efficiency, increased investment confidence and stronger competitiveness for Nigeria’s maritime and trade sectors.