The Sea Empowerment and Research Centre (SEREC) has urged a review of the recent tariff increase by the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA).
SEREC’s Head of Research, Eugene Nweke, made the call in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
The NPA announced that, from March 1, U.S. dollar-denominated rates would be adjusted biennially.
The adjustment will follow the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for the U.S. city average, covering all items.
The index uses 1982 as the base year for measuring price changes, calculated from the average of the previous two years.
The NPA also said naira-denominated rates would be adjusted every three years in line with Nigeria’s Consumer Price Index.
The Federal Government approved a 15 per cent increase in port tariffs in February to improve infrastructure and expand port capacity.
Nweke said the tariff review had triggered rising costs among terminal operators and shipping lines, worsening Nigeria’s already high port charges.
He called for urgent stakeholder consultations, warning against assigning revenue targets to regulatory agencies.
According to him, such targets could undermine their statutory responsibilities.
“All port-related charges should undergo harmonisation and rationalisation to reduce systemic inefficiencies and excessive cost burdens on port users.
“SEREC has observed with concern a systemic shift in Nigeria’s maritime governance environment where regulatory and technical agencies are driven by revenue benchmarks,” Nweke said.
He said the trend had extended beyond maritime institutions to agencies responsible for standards, product control, freight regulation and environmental enforcement within port corridors.
“Particularly noteworthy is the recent tariff adjustment by the NPA which has triggered consequential increases by terminal operators and shipping lines,” he said.
Nweke said the development had escalated overall port costs and added pressure on maritime trade.
He also raised concerns about the Nigeria Customs Service’s aggressive revenue targets.
According to him, the targets often result in valuation disputes, reclassification controversies, post-clearance demand notices and operational delays.
“Trade facilitation tools and automation initiatives such as the one-stop shop and Time Release Study should reduce cargo dwell time within customs zones,” he said.
He added that the Customs Service could perform better if given cargo throughput targets rather than strict revenue benchmarks.
“If unchecked, this revenue-first orientation will increase business costs, worsen inflation and encourage cargo diversion.
“It will also weaken institutions, encourage extortionary practices and undermine investor confidence in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
“SEREC calls for immediate policy recalibration.
“Nigeria must choose between short-term revenue optics and long-term maritime competitiveness.
“Revenue matters, but institutional integrity, safety and economic sustainability matter more,” he said.
Nweke also stressed the need for an effective National Single Window platform.
He said the platform must streamline overlapping responsibilities of agencies under a genuine one-stop-shop framework.
According to him, key performance indicators should prioritise operational efficiency and regulatory compliance rather than the size of remittances.
