Ports Economic Regulator Tackles Tariff Uncertainty, Faster Cargo Clearance

The Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) has commenced operations as the statutory economic regulator of Nigeria’s ports, with a mandate to tackle tariff uncertainty, promote fair competition and accelerate cargo clearance.

The commencement followed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency Bill, 2026, establishing NPERA as the dedicated authority responsible for the economic regulation of the nation’s ports.

The new agency is expected to bring greater clarity and predictability to port tariffs and charges, strengthen commercial dispute resolution, improve service standards and create a more competitive operating environment for port users and service providers.

Chairman of the NPERA Governing Board, Dr Ibrahim Shema, described the development as a “fundamental reform” of Nigeria’s port governance, saying the establishment of the agency represented the culmination of nearly five decades of institutional evolution in port economic regulation.

Shema traced the history of port economic regulation in Nigeria to the establishment of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in 1978 and the concessioning of port terminals in 2006.

He said the Shippers’ Council was subsequently designated as the interim Port Economic Regulator in 2014, during which it performed critical functions, including tariff regulation, dispute resolution and protection of port users.

According to him, the enactment of the NPERA Act has now provided those responsibilities with a permanent statutory framework.

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

“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 stressed that NPERA’s emergence would not create rivalry with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), which retains responsibility for port infrastructure and its landlord functions.

Rather, he said, NPERA would focus on reducing uncertainty and unnecessary regulatory barriers while promoting faster cargo movement and strengthening Nigeria’s competitiveness as a trading and investment destination.

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

On port tariffs, he said the new framework would give port users greater clarity on the basis for regulated charges while providing service providers with clearer expectations regarding compliance and regulatory requirements.

He added that NPERA would introduce more accessible mechanisms for resolving commercial disputes and increase the deployment of digital platforms for licensing, tariff administration, regulatory monitoring, compliance and stakeholder engagement.

The NPERA chairman also assured stakeholders that the transition from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to the new agency would be orderly and minimally disruptive.

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

Shema called for sustained collaboration 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.

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

According to him, the agency must translate the provisions of its enabling law into improved port services, greater efficiency, reduced regulatory uncertainty and stronger national competitiveness.

“The new era of port economic regulation has begun. The journey has been long. The opportunity before us is enormous. And the work starts now,” Shema added.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of NPERA, Dr. Pius Akutah, expressed optimism that the new law and agency would significantly clarify the regulatory environment governing Nigeria’s ports within the next one to two years.

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

He added that the NPERA Act gives the agency stronger powers to improve commercial dispute resolution and protect the interests and welfare of port users and other stakeholders.

The commencement of NPERA marks a major shift in Nigeria’s port governance architecture, with economic regulation now placed under a dedicated statutory institution separate from the infrastructure and landlord functions of the NPA.

For port users and operators, the new framework is expected to provide greater certainty around tariffs, charges, licensing and service standards, while reducing delays associated with commercial disputes and regulatory uncertainty.

The agency’s effectiveness, however, will ultimately be measured by its ability to translate its statutory powers into lower regulatory uncertainty, faster cargo clearance, improved port efficiency, stronger investment confidence and greater competitiveness for Nigeria’s maritime trade.