President Bola 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.
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 Facebook.
“Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency Act, 2026. Thank you Mr President for making it a reality,” Akutah said.
The assent marks a major milestone in Nigeria’s long-running efforts to establish a statutory economic regulatory framework for the port industry.
The legislation, which has been in development for several years, is expected to strengthen the legal framework for regulating tariffs, rates and charges, competition, licensing of port service providers and the resolution of commercial disputes.
In 2014, the Federal Government designated the NSC as the interim economic regulator of the ports pending the enactment of a substantive law.
The absence of a dedicated Act, however, meant the Council’s regulatory functions were largely exercised under government policy and regulations rather than comprehensive statutory powers.
Akutah had previously described the NPERA regime as a step towards a more structured and efficient port regulatory system, with stronger and enforceable legal powers.
The legislation has faced controversy over concerns about possible duplication of functions, particularly with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Stakeholders had called for clearer boundaries between the agencies to prevent regulatory conflicts and overlapping mandates.
An earlier version of the Bill was passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to the Presidency, but Tinubu withheld assent after concerns were raised over some provisions.
The National Assembly subsequently reviewed the legislation, addressed the identified issues and passed an amended version in April 2026.
The Senate’s fresh passage followed the rescission of its earlier decision after a review uncovered legal and procedural issues requiring correction.
The amended Bill completes the legislative process, raising expectations that the new law will bring greater certainty and transparency to economic regulation across Nigeria’s ports.