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LOME Hails NPERA Act, Urge Shippers Council to Hit the Ground Running

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BY FUNMI ALUKO
The League of Maritime Editors (LOME) has congratulated the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) on the signing of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Bill, 2026, into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing the development as a major milestone in the quest for efficient and properly regulated Nigerian ports.
LOME, in a statement signed by its President, Mrs. Remi Itie, and Public Relations Officer, Mr. Francis Ugwoke, also commended President Tinubu for giving presidential assent to the legislation after years of legislative efforts, bureaucratic hurdles and setbacks.
The League said the new law has cleared the way for the establishment of a dedicated economic regulator for the nation’s ports, noting that the development should translate into stronger regulation, improved efficiency and a more competitive maritime sector.
According to LOME, the Shippers’ Council deserves commendation for the perseverance and tenacity with which it pursued the legislation over the years, particularly against the backdrop of previous unsuccessful attempts to get the Bill enacted.
The maritime editors, however, urged the management of the Council to see the new legal status not merely as a victory, but as a mandate to urgently address longstanding challenges confronting users and providers of shipping services.
LOME said the Council must now “hit the road running” by deploying the powers conferred on it by the new law to tackle alleged abuses, irregularities and sharp practices that have persisted in the shipping and port sectors.
The League specifically pointed to complaints over arbitrary charges, alleged abuse of laid-down procedures and due processes by some shipping service providers, as well as other practices that have negatively impacted the cost and efficiency of doing business at Nigerian ports.
It urged the NSC to reactivate and strengthen its enforcement machinery, stressing that the new legislation provides a stronger legal foundation for the Council to intervene decisively where necessary in the interest of the Nigerian shipping community and the wider economy.
“This is the time to check the activities of some multinational shipping lines, terminal operators and bonded terminal operators over the ills of the past 12 years,” LOME said, adding that some shipping service providers had operated on the belief that the Council lacked sufficient legislative powers to effectively check their activities.
The League expressed the expectation that the new law would change that dynamic, urging the NSC to use its enhanced powers to deliver the effective economic regulation long demanded by stakeholders.
LOME also commended President Tinubu for what it described as his sustained interest in the development of Nigeria’s Marine and Blue Economy.
The League recalled that the Federal Government established the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in 2023, describing the subsequent enactment of the NPERA law as another significant step towards strengthening the sector, particularly shipping services and port operations.
It also applauded the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, for his role in the process, while expressing satisfaction that the long-delayed legislation had finally crossed the presidential assent threshold.
The League recalled that efforts to secure the passage of the legislation had lasted for more than 12 years, with previous attempts suffering setbacks.
It said President Tinubu’s decision to assent to the Bill represented an opportunity for the NSC to justify the confidence reposed in it by the President and the maritime industry.
The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, had last week announced the presidential assent to the legislation, expressing appreciation to President Tinubu for making the NPERA Act a reality.
Akutah had stated: “Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency Act, 2026. Thank you Mr. President for making it a reality.”
With the NPERA Act now in place, LOME said the immediate priority should be translating the new legal framework into tangible improvements in port efficiency, regulatory certainty, transparency and protection for the interests of shippers and other maritime stakeholders.
The League stressed that the ultimate test of the new law would not be the celebration surrounding its passage, but the extent to which it is deployed to resolve entrenched regulatory and operational challenges and improve Nigeria’s position as a competitive maritime hub.
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