Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu has signed the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Bill, 2026 into law, officially granting the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) full statutory backing to regulate economic activities across the nation’s maritime sector.
The breakthrough development was confirmed by the NSC Executive Secretary, Dr. Pius Akutah, via his verified Facebook page.
Expressing appreciation to the President, Akutah wrote: “Thank you Mr. President for making the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency Act, 2026 a reality.”
While the full implementation framework remains to be unveiled, industry stakeholders are already describing the development as a major milestone, hailing the NSC as the port sector’s “new sheriff in town.”
Key Highlights of the NPERA Act, 2026
Statutory Enforcement Powers: Replaces the Council’s former interim status with strong legal authority to enforce compliance and penalize erring port operators.
Commercial Oversight: Empowers the new agency to regulate tariffs, rates, charges, and fair competition across the port industry.
Licensing & Dispute Resolution: Grants legal powers to license commercial service providers and mediate commercial disputes within the maritime ecosystem.
A Decade-Long Legislative Journey
Maritime expert Dr. Eugene Nweke noted that the law addresses a critical void that existed since the 2006 port concessions.
Although the Federal Government appointed the NSC as an interim economic regulator in 2014, the body was previously forced to operate relying on policy directives and a 2015 government gazette rather than an Act of Parliament.
The bill’s path to presidential assent required overcoming significant hurdles:
Mandate Overlaps: Early drafts raised concerns among stakeholders, including clearing agents like Hajia Bola Muse, who urged lawmakers to clearly delineate NPERA’s role to prevent conflicts with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and NIMASA.
Tax Law Harmonization: After both legislative chambers initially passed the bill in late 2025, President Tinubu returned it due to conflicts with the Tax Administration Act, 2025.
Final Legislative Approval: The National Assembly corrected the conflicting provisions and passed a harmonized version in April 2026, clearing the way for the President’s assent.
