President Bola Tinubu has approved the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Bill 2026, paving the way for a dedicated regulator for economic activities in Nigeria’s ports.
The approval was disclosed on Wednesday by the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr Pius Akutah, in a social media post.
The proposed law is expected to provide a clear legal framework for regulating the port sector and define the powers and responsibilities of the new agency.
The move follows years of efforts by the Federal Government and the National Assembly to establish a permanent statutory economic regulator for Nigeria’s ports.
Since the concession of the ports, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council has operated as the interim economic regulator after being assigned the role by the Federal Government in 2014.
However, its powers have largely been exercised under government policies and existing regulations due to the absence of a dedicated law.
With the NPERA Bill, regulation of port tariffs, charges, rates, competition and licensing of service providers is expected to become more structured.
The new framework is also expected to provide clearer channels for resolving commercial disputes involving terminal operators, shipping companies, freight forwarders and other maritime businesses.
The development is expected to boost regulatory certainty, strengthen oversight and promote greater efficiency and competition across Nigeria’s maritime industry.
