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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Economy & Trade

Nigeria Launches Ports Economic Regulator NPERA to Boost Trade Efficiency

From ThisDay · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • Nigeria's port economic regulation has a new statutory body, the Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), established after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assented to the relevant bill.
  • NPERA aims to promote fair tariffs, faster cargo clearance, increased competition, and a more predictable business environment, building on nearly five decades of institutional evolution.
  • The agency will focus on economic regulation, including tariff oversight and dispute resolution, while the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) retains infrastructure responsibilities, fostering a collaborative system.

Nigeria's port sector has undergone a significant reform with the formal commencement of operations for the Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA). This new statutory body, established following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's assent to the Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency Bill, 2026, is mandated to regulate the economic aspects of the nation's ports.

Dr. Ibrahim Shema, Chairman of the NPERA Governing Board, described the establishment as a "fundamental reform" in port governance, tracing its roots to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in 1978. The Shippers’ Council was later designated as the interim regulator in 2014, performing functions like tariff regulation and user protection. The NPERA Act now provides a permanent statutory framework for these responsibilities.

This is not about creating competing authorities. It is about establishing a coherent system in which institutions work together, each within its statutory responsibilities.

— Dr. Ibrahim ShemaShema clarified the relationship between the new NPERA and existing authorities like the Nigerian Ports Authority, emphasizing collaboration.

NPERA will oversee port tariffs and charges, licensing, service standards, fair competition, commercial disputes, and the protection of port users. Shema emphasized that NPERA is designed to work collaboratively with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), which will continue to manage port infrastructure and landlord functions. The new agency's focus is on reducing regulatory uncertainty and barriers to promote faster cargo movement and enhance Nigeria's competitiveness.

Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of NPERA, Dr. Pius Akutah, expressed optimism that the agency will clarify the regulatory environment within two years. NPERA's priorities include fair pricing, promoting competition, improving trade facilitation, and strengthening government revenue. The agency is empowered to enhance commercial dispute resolution and safeguard the interests of port users and stakeholders, marking a major shift towards a dedicated institution for 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.

— Dr. Ibrahim ShemaShema stressed that NPERA’s emergence would not create rivalry with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), which retains responsibility for port infrastructure and its landlord functions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ThisDay in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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