Shippers’ Council Recovers N90.6bn, $1.35m For Port Users, Resolves 295 Commercial Disputes

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has recovered and protected over N90.6 billion and $1.35 million for port users through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and other regulatory interventions, and has resolved 295 commercial disputes since November 2023.

The executive secretary and chief executive officer of the Council, Dr Pius Akutah, disclosed this during a media parley with editors and maritime correspondents in Lagos on Saturday, describing the achievements as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the Council’s role as Nigeria’s Port Economic Regulator.

According to Akutah, the recoveries comprised N86.06 billion in unjustified demurrage payments, as well as additional savings of N4.54 billion and $1.348 million secured through regulatory interventions.

He said the achievements align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the policy direction of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, aimed at improving efficiency, transparency and competitiveness in Nigeria’s maritime sector.

Akutah revealed that the Council received 558 complaints during the review period, resolving 295 commercial disputes through its ADR mechanism. He noted that the increasing adoption of ADR by shippers, terminal operators and other stakeholders reflects growing confidence in the Council’s dispute resolution framework.

To further reduce the cost of doing business at the nation’s seaports, he said the Council harmonised bonded terminal invoice charges from 18 categories to 6, a reform designed to simplify port charges and improve transparency.

On legislative reforms, Akutah described the passage of the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Bill by both chambers of the National Assembly as a significant milestone in the maritime sector.

He noted that once assented to by the President, the legislature would establish an independent port economic regulator with enhanced powers to regulate tariffs, service standards, competition and commercial conduct.

“Another significant milestone is the approval of the Council’s statutory funding mechanism, captured in the 2025 Appropriation Act for the first time since the Council’s establishment in 1978. This provides a sustainable framework for effective regulation, with collection to be integrated into the National Single Window platform.

“The Council has actively supported the National Single Window Project, which is expected to simplify cargo clearance, improve coordination among government agencies and reduce the time and cost of doing business at Nigerian ports.

“Similarly, outstanding issues delaying implementation of the ICTN have been resolved. Once operational, the ICTN will strengthen cargo visibility, improve trade intelligence, enhance supply chain security and support regulatory compliance.

“During the period under review, the Council reviewed and approved tariff requests for shipping companies, terminal operators and Inland Dry Ports after rigorous regulatory assessment. It also continued to confirm the reasonableness of freight rates, charter party fees and vessel demurrage for foreign exchange transactions, as well as freight charges on export cargoes, thereby supporting transparency and helping to curb capital flight, ” he said.

Akutah added that the Council had continued to promote multimodal transport by developing Inland Dry Ports, Vehicle Transit Areas, and Border Information Centres, while advancing digital transformation through the deployment of an Enterprise Content Management System and a Leadership and Succession Planning Project.

The NSC boss said the achievements recorded were part of a broad reform agenda aimed at strengthening the Council’s role as Nigeria’s Port Economic Regulator and repositioning it as a modern, efficient and globally competitive institution in line with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the policy direction of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.

He reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to deepening port economic regulation, protecting shippers, expanding trade facilitation infrastructure and supporting the transition to the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency upon presidential assent to the Bill.

He assured that priority will also be given to the development of permanent Border Information Centre facilities, leadership development, succession planning, and workforce transformation.

According to him, the Council will continue to collaborate with government agencies, industry stakeholders, development partners and the media to build a transparent, competitive and investment-friendly maritime sector capable of positioning Nigeria as the leading maritime and logistics gateway in West and Central Africa.