Akutah: Assent to NPERA Bill Will Streamline Regulatory Issues in Maritime Industry

Oluchi Chibuzor 

The Executive Secretary and the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) Dr. Pius Akutah has said that the imminent Presidential assent to the recent passage of the Nigeria Port Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) bill by the National Assembly will streamline issues in the marine and blue economy industry.

The Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) is currently before President Bola Tinubu for assent having successfully scaled through the two legislative houses.

Akutah, disclosed this while speaking at the Council’s 2025 operational retreat for Middle Management Staff in Abeokuta.

According to him, “This retreat is coming at a time of transition from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA). You are all aware of the progress we are making with the bill that has been passed by through the National Assembly, which is now before Mr. President for assent. NPERA is a reflection of the current administration’s concerted efforts to create a more structural and efficient port regulatory system in Nigeria.

“Essentially, the passage of that bill will establish a strong, independent regulatory regime with enforceable legal powers, unlike the current law. You know that in that law, there are some legal provisions that even have to do with criminal prosecutions.”

The NSC boss stressed that the President is not only committed to dealing with regulatory issues in this sector, but also enhancing the blue economy in general.

Akutah asserted that the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and robust activities of the Ministry under the leadership of Adegboyega Oyetola underscores the importance of the sector to the nation’s development.

He equally reassured that the NSC would continue to work diligently for the industry by reducing arbitrary charges, enhanced stakeholders’ engagement, and enhancing robust dispute resolutions.

“You are all aware of the progress we are making in the bill that has been passed by the National Assembly, which is now before Mr. President for Asset. We are preparing for the transition from the Nigerian Shippers Council to the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA). The Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency is a reflection of the current administration’s concerted efforts to create a more structural and efficient port regulatory system in Nigeria. And you know that our minister is also very focused and has been driving the ministry towards excellence. Just recently, we have just concluded our efforts on the national policy of marine and blue economy.

“And this agency, coming on board at this time, is to further strengthen our resolve and efforts towards regulating this sector to a more prosperous Nigeria. Essentially, the passage of that bill will establish a strong, independent regulatory regime with enforceable legal powers, unlike the current law. You know that in that law, there are some legal provisions that even have to do with criminal prosecutions.

“On our part, in our current status, we have continued to work seriously for the industry by reducing arbitrary charges, enhanced stakeholders’ engagement, and robust dispute resolutions. We have never stopped, even as we have transited. We are still working very hard. This transition, when fully operational, will be an evolutionary case study in Nigeria’s maritime and port regulatory framework,” he said.

Speaking, the President Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Nigeria, Mfon Usoro, said the assent of the bill, which is a certainty, means there is massive work for capacity development for the council.

She however, stressed that when assented the regulatory body should seek to improve inter-port and intra-port competition in the industry.

According to her, “An economic regulator would have regulation in such a way that it promotes intra-port and inter-port competition. The regulation must be aimed at creating markets and growing the markets, enabling healthy competition, and to remove barriers to market entry by new competitors. 

“We expect them to guide against arbitrariness, fixing prices to promote fair competition, because enforcing regulation is not to disrupt trade, but to promote and grow. Another one is to control tariff rates and charges to enforce and monitor compliance.”

Meanwhile, the Director, Planning, NSC, Rotimi Anifowose, challenged the middle officers to see themselves as critical to the transition process of the council. 

According to him, “You are the ones that drive policies to effective implementation hence your assemblage here today, with these high-profile individuals who are going to interact with you in the next two days. This is the time that we all need to begin to train and retrain ourselves to gather more knowledge, even before we step into the new region that we are heading.”