The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has directed the transfer of inland dry port functions from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, to the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, to ensure a clear separation between economic regulation and port operations.
Oyetola also constituted a ministerial committee to oversee the transition of the NSC into the newly established Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency, NPERA, following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the NPERA Act, 2026.
The directives were contained in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the Minister’s Special Adviser, Dr. Bolaji Akinola.
The NPERA Act, signed by President Tinubu in August, formally establishes a substantive economic regulator for Nigeria’s port sector, ending a 20-year wait for a dedicated statutory regulator.
With the new law, the NSC, which has operated as interim port economic regulator since 2014, transmutes to NPERA.
Under the new framework, NPERA will focus on core economic regulatory responsibilities including tariff regulation, promotion of competition, licensing, service standards, commercial dispute resolution and protection of port users.
Oyetola said the transition provides an opportunity to establish a regulatory institution clearly separated from operational, developmental and promotional roles.
“We must get the transition right. The establishment of NPERA is a landmark reform, and the process of moving from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to the Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency must be carefully managed,” he said.
“The ministerial committee will provide the necessary oversight to ensure that the transition is seamless and that every function is domiciled in the appropriate institution.”
The Minister stressed that the credibility of an economic regulator depends on its ability to function as an impartial referee, without responsibilities that could create conflicts of interest.
“A regulator cannot function as an operator and, at the same time, be expected to be perceived as an unbiased referee,” he said.
According to him, the Federal Government’s objective is to ensure that NPERA concentrates fully on its statutory mandate, while operational and developmental functions are transferred to agencies with the appropriate capacity.
Oyetola assured stakeholders that the transfer of inland dry ports to the NPA should not be seen as a reduction in government’s commitment to the IDP programme.
Rather, he said, the objective is to strengthen the programme by placing its promotion within an institution better positioned to integrate the facilities into the nation’s wider port infrastructure.
“We are committed to strengthening the development of the Inland Dry Ports by placing their promotion within the agency with the appropriate operational and infrastructure mandate. The ultimate objective is to create a more efficient and integrated port system that serves the entire country,” he added.
The Minister said a clear separation of responsibilities would enhance transparency, strengthen confidence in the regulatory framework and create a more predictable environment for port users, investors, terminal operators and shipping companies.
