Oluchi Chibuzor
The Director-General of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), Dr Pius Akutah, has identified efficient and competitive seaports as critical to Nigeria’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
Akutah said the agency was committed to transforming the port regulatory environment through stronger enforcement, standard-setting, automation and digitisation.
Akutah stated this in Lagos when the President of the Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN), Mr Moses Ebosele, led a delegation of the association on a courtesy visit to NPERA.
According to Akutah, the agency was established not only to regulate the economic activities at the ports but also to enforce compliance and deter practices capable of undermining trade and port efficiency.
He said NPERA now has stronger legal provisions for sanctioning infractions, unlike the previous regulatory framework under the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.
“In the past, there was no such potency in our law, so we couldn’t enforce anything because the penalties were too insignificant to deter any infraction,” he said.
Akutah, however, noted that the new framework provides for a minimum penalty of N500,000 for an individual first offender, while penalties can increase where infractions are repeated.
He added that the highest penalty for a corporation is N20 million, stressing that the agency could multiply the penalty where a company continued to violate the law.
“The aspects of the law on legal enforcement or criminal prosecution for infractions captured in the NPERA law will serve as deterrence,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the president of SCAN, Moses Ebosele said: “We are here first and foremost to congratulate the management and staff on the new responsibility entrusted to the Agency to regulate Nigeria’s seaports.
“We recognise that this is a significant mandate with far-reaching implications for the maritime sector, the economy and the country’s overall trade facilitation efforts”.
Ebosele, who also invited the DG to SCAN 2026 summit scheduled for October 29th, 2026 in Lagos said the visit is also an opportunity to establish a stronger relationship between the Agency, adding “We believe that effective regulation requires not only sound policies and enforcement, but also clear communication and continuous engagement with stakeholders”.