NPERA Act: Arbitrary port charges to end as new regulatory regime begins — Akutah

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The newly enacted Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Act is set to usher in a new era of stronger regulation, transparency and predictability in Nigeria’s port economy, with arbitrary charges by service providers expected to come under tighter control.

Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NPERA, Dr. Pius Akutah, MON, disclosed this while speaking with journalists on the implications of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the NPERA Act, 2026.

Akutah described the legislation as a major milestone in the development of Nigeria’s maritime sector, saying it had fundamentally altered the architecture of port economic regulation by giving the agency clearer statutory powers and stronger enforcement authority.

He explained that under the new framework, charges for regulated port services could no longer be imposed arbitrarily, as service providers would be required to operate within approved tariffs, standards and established regulatory procedures.

According to him, the new regime represents a shift from a regulatory approach largely driven by negotiation and persuasion to one backed by clear statutory authority.

“This is a new era where we have the legal backing to enforce the regulations,” Akutah said, stressing that the objective was to establish a port system in which both service providers and users operate within clearly defined rules.

The NPERA boss also pointed to a significant expansion in the agency’s mandate compared with the previous regulatory framework.

He explained that while the Nigerian Shippers’ Council had historically focused largely on protecting the interests of shippers, NPERA had been given the responsibility of balancing the interests of both service users and service providers.

He said this broader mandate would enable the agency to promote fairness, transparency and predictability while creating a more stable environment for investment and business operations.

Akutah, however, stressed that the establishment of NPERA did not mean the agency would be starting from scratch.

He said NPERA would build on the existing structures, workforce, institutional knowledge and experience accumulated by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council over the years.

He added that staff would receive specialised training to equip them with the technical and regulatory skills required to discharge the agency’s expanded economic regulatory responsibilities effectively.

On the transition process, Akutah disclosed that an in-house steering committee had already been established, while a ministerial steering committee was also expected to provide additional guidance.

He said implementation plans covering the first 30, 90 and 120 days had been developed to ensure a structured and coordinated transition into the new regulatory regime.

Beyond institutional arrangements, the NPERA chief identified stakeholder awareness and compliance as critical to the success of the new framework.

He said the agency would embark on extensive sensitisation through media campaigns, jingles, stakeholder engagements and other communication platforms to ensure that port operators and other stakeholders understood the provisions of the new law and their obligations under it.

Akutah urged maritime operators, service providers and other stakeholders to familiarise themselves with the Act and prepare for what he described as a new, rules-based regulatory environment.

He also assured stakeholders that NPERA would exercise its expanded powers fairly, transparently and responsibly, stressing that the agency’s intention was to regulate the sector and not to persecute operators.

“The essence is regulation, not persecution,” he said, assuring stakeholders that the agency would provide a level playing field for all participants in the port economy.

As preparations for the full implementation of the Act gather momentum, Akutah said several activities were expected before the end of 2026.

These include the gazetting of the Act, a ministerial briefing, commencement of regulatory activities, publication of draft regulations and further consultations with stakeholders across the maritime industry.

He expressed confidence that the new regulatory framework would improve the efficiency and competitiveness of Nigeria’s ports, strengthen investor confidence and enhance the contribution of the maritime sector to national economic development.

The implementation of the NPERA Act, he added, would ultimately provide a more predictable business environment in which port users and service providers could operate under transparent and enforceable rules.

This version makes the arbitrary charges issue the dominant news peg, while also bringing out the bigger institutional story: NPERA’s stronger legal powers, its expanded mandate and the transition from persuasion-based regulation to enforceable rules.