Nigeria has entered a new phase in the economic regulation of its ports with the formal commencement of operations by the Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency, NPERA.
The agency was established after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assented to the Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency Bill, 2026. The new framework is expected to make the country’s ports more transparent, competitive, predictable and efficient while improving the environment for trade and investment.
Chairman of the NPERA Governing Board, Dr Ibrahim Shema, traced the development of port economic regulation to the establishment of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in 1978. He also pointed to the concessioning of port terminals in 2006 as another major stage in the evolution of Nigeria’s port system.
The Shippers’ Council was subsequently designated as the interim Port Economic Regulator in 2014. Under that arrangement, the council performed several regulatory responsibilities, including tariff regulation, dispute resolution and protection of port users.
Shema described the new legislation as a fundamental reform of Nigeria’s port governance. According to him, the establishment of NPERA represents the culmination of almost five decades of institutional development in port economic regulation.
Shema stressed that the emergence of NPERA would not create competition between the new agency and the Nigerian Ports Authority. The NPA will retain responsibility for port infrastructure and its landlord functions, while NPERA focuses on economic regulation.
“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 explained that the NPERA port regulation framework would seek to reduce uncertainty and unnecessary regulatory barriers. The agency is also expected to support faster cargo movement and strengthen Nigeria’s position as a destination for international trade and investment.
Shema identified transparency, fairness, predictability, efficiency and accountability as the five principles that will guide the agency. He said the approach would also provide greater clarity around port tariffs.
Port users, according to him, should be able to understand the basis for regulated charges, while service providers would have clearer expectations regarding regulatory compliance. The objective is to reduce uncertainty for businesses operating within the maritime sector.
The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NPERA, Dr Pius Akutah, expressed confidence that the new agency would significantly clarify the regulatory environment within the next one to two years. Akutah said NPERA would focus on ensuring fair pricing, promoting competition and facilitating trade.
He added that the agency would also work towards strengthening government revenue from the ports. According to him, the NPERA Act gives the regulator stronger powers to improve commercial dispute resolution. The law also empowers the agency to protect the welfare and interests of port users and other stakeholders.
For shipping companies, terminal operators, importers, exporters and other port users, the new NPERA port regulation regime is expected to bring greater clarity to several areas of port operations.
These include tariffs, charges, licensing requirements, service standards and commercial disputes. The broader objective is to create a more predictable business environment where operators can better understand the rules governing their activities.
If effectively implemented, the new regulatory structure could also reduce avoidable delays and disputes while improving the movement of goods through Nigerian ports. For an economy heavily dependent on efficient trade corridors, the success of NPERA could therefore have implications extending beyond the maritime sector to commerce, investment and national revenue.
