MARCON Visits NPERA Headquarters as Nigeria's New Port Economic Regulator Begins Operations By Josh Akinde Lagos

The Maritime Correspondents Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) has paid a courtesy visit to the headquarters of the newly established Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) in Lagos, marking one of the first stakeholder engagements for Nigeria's new port economic regulator.

The delegation, led by MARCON President Mr. Ismail Aniemu, visited NPERA on 16 September 2026, following the recent transformation of the Nigerian Shippers' Council into NPERA after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assented to the NPERA Act 2026 in August.

Mr. Ismail Aniemu,MARCON President and his team with the Director general and Chief Executive Officer of  NPERA, Dr. Pius Akutah, 


NPERA Takes Over as Port Economic Regulator

With the signing of the NPERA Act 2026, the agency now has full statutory powers as the economic regulator of Nigeria's port system. Its mandate covers regulation of tariffs and charges, promotion of fair competition, enforcement of service standards, licensing of regulated entities, commercial dispute resolution, trade facilitation and protection of port users.

This role is distinct from the operational and landlord functions of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), which manages port infrastructure, pilotage, towage and berthing operations at Apapa, Tin Can, Onne, Port Harcourt and other ports.

Dr. Akutah: Act Will Sanitise Port Sector

Speaking during the visit, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NPERA, Dr. Pius Akutah, said the new Act provides the legal tools needed to sanitise Nigeria's port sector, promote fair competition and protect investments in the maritime industry.

According to him, NPERA will apply the full weight of the law as a deterrent to sharp practices in the port system, but not as a "monster" regulator.

He disclosed that the Act prescribes strong penalties to enforce compliance. A first-time individual offender faces a minimum fine of ₦500,000, while corporations can be fined up to ₦20 million. Fines can be multiplied for repeated violations, and some offences can also attract criminal prosecution. All revenue from fines will go to the Federal Government.

Dr. Akutah added that the law will also strengthen alternative dispute resolution mechanisms for commercial disputes in the port, which will help reduce delays and lower the cost of doing business.

Commends Maritime Media


The NPERA boss commended MARCON and the wider maritime media for years of advocacy and reportage that helped in the passage of the legislation.

He urged journalists to continue to explain the agency's mandate and its realistic limits to the public so that expectations remain grounded as NPERA moves into its full implementation phase. He stressed the need for closer collaboration between the regulator and the maritime press.


MARCON Pledges Support

In his response, MARCON President Ismail Aniemu congratulated Dr. Akutah and his team on the successful transformation of the Shippers' Council into NPERA. He described the emergence of a statutory port economic regulator as a significant achievement for the Nigerian maritime industry.

Aniemu said MARCON will continue to support NPERA to help Nigerian ports become more competitive and position Nigeria as a regional maritime hub in West and Central Africa.

He also formally invited Dr. Akutah to MARCON's upcoming conference on sustainable fishing, scheduled for 30 September 2026 at Rockview Hotel, Apapa, Lagos.

Sustainable Fishing and Blue Economy Link

Accepting the invitation, Dr. Akutah noted that illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing remains a major challenge to Nigeria's blue economy. He said sustainable management of marine resources aligns with NPERA's broader blue-economy mandate and with the Federal Government's target of achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

Photos from the meeting shared on the official @NgShippers handle showed Dr. Akutah addressing the MARCON delegation at the conference table.

The visit is part of several recent stakeholder engagements embarked upon by NPERA as the new agency begins operations as Nigeria's port economic regulator.


Stay tuned to Nigeria Anchorage for updates on NPERA regulations, NPA operations and daily Lagos anchorage reports.

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