President Bola Tinubu has assented to the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Bill, 2026, granting the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) full legal backing.

The NSC executive secretary, Pius Akutah, announced the development in a statement on Thursday.

“Thank you, Mr President, for making the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency Act, 2026, a reality,” Mr Akutah stated.

Details of the assent and implementation framework were still sketchy as at press time.

A maritime expert, Eugene Nweke, said the Act paved the way for a statutory regulator with powers to sanction erring port operators.

He said the NPERA bill had been in the works for years following the concession of Nigeria’s ports in 2006.

Mr Nweke said that the federal government designated NSC as an interim economic regulator in 2014, pending enactment of substantive legislation.

“Without an Act, the council performed regulatory functions based on policy and a 2015 government gazette.

“The new law empowers the regulator to oversee tariffs, rates, charges, competition and licensing of service providers.

“It also provides legal backing for resolving commercial disputes in the port sector,” he said.

Earlier versions faced concerns over duplication with the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency’s (NIMASA) functions.

A clearing agent, Bola Muse, and some stakeholders demanded clearer delineation to avoid regulatory conflicts and overlapping mandates.

They said that both chambers passed the bill in late 2025, but Mr Tinubu returned it over conflicts with the Tax Administration Act, 2025.

The National Assembly corrected the issues and passed a harmonised version in April 2026.

Stakeholders hailed the assent as a new phase for port regulation, describing the NSC as “a new sheriff in town.” 

(NAN)