As reported by The Nation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially signed the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Bill 2026 into law. The legislation grants full statutory legal backing and enhanced enforcement powers to the port economic regulator, transforming the operational framework of Nigeria’s maritime sector.
The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Pius Akutah, celebrated the development, noting that the new law establishes an independent regulatory body equipped to handle tariffs, commercial disputes, port licensing, and anti-competitive practices. The law resolves years of regulatory ambiguity that followed the 2006 port concessions.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, commended the president’s assent, describing it as a landmark reform designed to eliminate arbitrary charges and enhance port efficiency. The regulatory transition is expected to attract major international maritime investments into Nigerian ports.
Validation:
Daily Trend highlighted the statutory shift, noting that the signing represents a “new sheriff in town as Tinubu signs NPERA Bill” to end regulatory impunity. In addition, Daily Nigerian covered the announcement, quoting Dr. Pius Akutah as expressing gratitude on his social media platform: “Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency Act, 2026. Thank you Mr. President for making it a reality.”
Echotitbits take:
Statutory backing for port regulation gives authorities real legal leverage to standardize port tariffs and reduce costly demurrage disputes. Watch for the publication of the implementation guidelines and new tariff enforcement schedules by the agency.
Source: The Nation – https://thenationonlineng.net/tinubu-assents-to-ports-economic-regulatory-bill/, August 14, 2026
Photo credit: The Africa Report
