The Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill (NPERA) which seeks to empower the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) as the port economic regulator, is presently not on the table of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent. This is contrary to the believe making the rounds in the maritime industry.
Findings by Shipping Position Daily revealed that, even though the bill was earlier transmitted to the President for assent, it was sent back to the National Assembly to address certain areas that require amendments, a development that has reset the legislative process.
Following the return of the bill, the House of Representatives carried out the required amendments on the proposed legislation, after which it was transmitted to the Senate for concurrence, a critical step required before the bill can be forwarded once again to the President for assent.
A source at the National Assembly, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, confirmed that the bill is not currently before the President, stressing that concurrence by both chambers of the legislature remains outstanding.
“The bill did get to the President at a point, but it was sent back to the National Assembly for amendments. The House of Representatives has now done its part, and the amended version has been forwarded to the Senate for concurrence. Until the Senate concludes its work and both chambers agree on the same version, it cannot go back to the President,” the source explained.
The source further disclosed that the Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill has been placed on the priority list of the National Assembly upon resumption, raising expectations that the matter will be treated with urgency.
According to him, stakeholders in the maritime industry should have clarity on the fate of the bill before the end of the first quarter of the year.
“As soon as the National Assembly resumes, the bill is on the priority list. Before the end of the first quarter, the industry will know whether the bill will eventually become law or not,” he said.
The bill seeks to provide a clear legal framework for port economic regulation in Nigeria by designating the Nigerian Shippers’ Council as the statutory regulator responsible for overseeing tariffs, charges, competition, and service standards within the nation’s ports.
Despite its strategic importance, the bill has faced prolonged delays and institutional resistance, which, according to the source, remains a major challenge.
Another source who is close to the National Assembly told our correspondent last week that opposition to the bill is being driven by a sister maritime agency, which has been working persistently to frustrate its passage.
“One of the sister agencies is fighting tooth and nail to ensure that the bill does not see the light of day,” the source stated, without disclosing the identity of the agency involved.
The prolonged absence of a clearly-defined port economic regulator has continued to generate concerns among port users, freight forwarders, and other stakeholders, many of whom argue that the regulatory vacuum has contributed to arbitrary port charges, overlapping agency roles, and recurring disputes within the port system.
Although the Nigerian Shippers’ Council has functioned as the de facto port economic regulator since 2015, based on a gazetted executive order, stakeholders insist that a statutory backing remains necessary to strengthen enforcement and provide certainty across the industry.
With the bill now awaiting Senate concurrence, industry observers say the coming weeks will be critical in determining whether the long-running effort to establish a firm legal foundation for port economic regulation will finally be concluded or further delayed.
