LEAGUE OF MARITIME EDITORS CONGRATULATES SHIPPERS’ COUNCIL ON ASSENT OF NPERA BILL, COMMENDS PRESIDENT TINUBU
The League of Maritime Editors (LOME) has congratulated the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) over the assent to the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Bill, 2026, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The assent of the NPERA by the President now paves the way for the establishment of a dedicated economic regulator for ports.
The League notes the perseverance and tenacity with which the Council pushed for the passage of the law that will not just empower it as a ports regulatory agency but also impact on the efficiency of ports operation.
In a press statement signed by the President, Mrs Remi Itie and the Public Relations Officer, Mr Francis Ugwoke, the League expressed excitement about the assent to the Bill after several attempts that failed over bureaucratic bottlenecks involving some agencies of the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry.
The League called on the leadership of the Council to regard the passage of the Bill into law as a strong call to improve on the efficiency of the nation’s ports which in effect will impact on the national economy.
League said the Council should hit the road running, settle down to action to address decades of illegalities by either providers or consumers of shipping services.
Noting the flagrant abuse of laid down procedures and due processes by some sjipping services providers while trying to introduce new charges, among other irregularities, the League pointed out that the new law now empowers the Council to hit hard where necessary for the interest of the shipping industry and the national economy.
“This is the time to check the activities of some multinational shipping lines, terminal operators, bonded terminal operators over the ills of the past 12 years now. We refer to some shipping service providers who had held the strong belief that the Council had no strong legislative powers to check them. Now that the NPERA bill has been signed into law, the NSC should reactivate its enforcement machinery to give the Nigerian shipping community and all stakeholders the much expected effective regulation”, the League said.
The League equally commended President Bola Tinubu for always showing interest in the development of the Marine and Blue Economy.
“First, it was the establishment of the Marine and Blue Economy in 2023, and now it is the passage of the law that will move the industry forward, particularly in the areas of shipping services and ports operations. We are happy with the President over this development, and we say a big applause to him and the Minister , Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola for the passage of the NPERA bill after several years of politicking. Its passage was stopped by the former late President Muhammadu Buhari apparently because he listened to those against the bill. We are happy that President Tinubu acted differently. It is now the NSC management to take advantage of the benevolence of the President in passing the law”..
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr Pius Akutah, last week disclosed the assent of the NPERA) Bill by President Tinubu. In the post, Akutah was full of appreciation to the President for the assent.
Akutah wrote, “Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency Act, 2026. Thank you Mr.President for making it a reality,” It would be recalled that the efforts to get the bill passed have been on for over 12 years.