By Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria, APFFLON, has congratulated the Nigerian Shippers’ Council on the signing of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency, NPERA, Act 2026 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement signed by its National President, *Otunba Frank Ogunojemite*, APFFLON described the new law as “a new dawn for Nigerian ports” and a historic opportunity to sanitise the port system and make it truly competitive.
Ogunojemite commended President Tinubu for giving statutory backing to the country’s port economic regulatory framework, saying the time for real port reforms is now.
According to him, with the NPERA Act now in place, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council must move from regulatory responsibility to effective regulatory enforcement.
He said: _“Nigerian port users have endured arbitrary charges, excessive costs, operational bottlenecks, unnecessary delays and practices that make our ports less competitive than they should be. We therefore expect the new regulatory regime to bring sanity, transparency, accountability and fairness into the port system.”_
APFFLON urged the Shippers’ Council to prioritize port sanitation and comprehensive reforms under the new law.
These include a review of port tariffs, enforcement of service standards, elimination of duplicative charges, reduction of cargo dwell time, improved empty-container return, and protection of freight forwarders and importers from exploitative practices.
The association also called for a clear delineation of responsibilities among the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Nigerian Ports Authority, CRFFN, NIMASA and other maritime agencies to avoid duplication and regulatory conflicts.
Ogunojemite said the success of the NPERA Act should be measured by its impact on the ordinary port user through lower cost of doing business, faster cargo clearance, predictable charges and efficient service delivery.
APFFLON pledged its continued cooperation with the Shippers’ Council and other stakeholders, and urged the Council to use its new statutory authority courageously, fairly and transparently.
The statement concluded: _“The NPERA Act has provided the legal foundation. Now is the time to clean up, reform and reposition Nigerian ports for the benefit of shippers, freight forwarders, terminal operators, shipping companies and ultimately, the Nigerian economy.”_
