Tinubu assents Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency Bill

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By Godwin Oritse

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assented to the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Bill 2026, paving the way for the establishment of a dedicated economic regulator for Nigeria’s port sector.

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The development was disclosed by the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr Pius Akutah, in a post on his Facebook page.

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Akutah expressed appreciation to the President for assenting to the legislation, stating: “Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency Act, 2026. Thank you Mr. President for making it a reality.”

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Although details of the assent and implementation framework were not immediately available at press time, the development marks a major milestone in the country’s long-running effort to establish a statutory economic regulatory framework for the port industry.

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The NPERA legislation has been in the works for several years, with successive National Assemblies seeking to establish a dedicated economic regulator following the concession of Nigeria’s ports.

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In 2014, the Federal Government designated the Nigerian Shippers’ Council as the interim economic regulator of the ports pending the enactment of a substantive law.

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However, the absence of a dedicated Act meant that the Council performed its economic regulatory functions largely on the basis of government policy and regulations.

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The new legislation is expected to provide stronger legal backing for the regulation of economic activities at the ports, including tariffs, rates, charges, competition, licensing of port service providers and resolution of commercial disputes.

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Previous versions of the Bill had attracted concerns over possible duplication of functions with agencies including the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

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The National Assembly subsequently reviewed and amended the legislation after President Tinubu withheld assent to an earlier version.

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The Senate passed the amended Bill in April 2026 after addressing identified legal and procedural issues.

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