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The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assenting to the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Act, 2026, describing the legislation as a historic opportunity to sanitise Nigeria’s port system and improve its competitiveness.
The association also congratulated the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), under the leadership of its Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Pius Akutah, MON, and its management for the milestone.
APFFLON said the presidential assent provides statutory backing for Nigeria’s port economic regulatory framework and represents a significant step in the long-running effort to establish a stronger and more effective regulatory system for the country’s ports.
Speaking on behalf of the association, APFFLON National President, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, described the development as “a new dawn for Nigerian ports and a historic opportunity to finally sanitise the port system and make it truly competitive.”
Ogunojemite said the enactment of the NPERA Act should now usher in a new phase of decisive port reforms and effective regulatory enforcement.
“With the NPERA Act now in place, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council must move decisively from regulatory responsibility to effective regulatory enforcement,” he said.
He noted that port users had continued to contend with arbitrary charges, excessive costs, operational bottlenecks, unnecessary delays and practices that undermine the competitiveness of Nigerian ports.
“We therefore expect the new regulatory regime to bring sanity, transparency, accountability and fairness into the port system,” Ogunojemite added.
APFFLON urged the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to make port sanitation and comprehensive reform a priority under the new statutory framework.
The association called for a thorough review of port tariffs and charges, stronger enforcement of service standards and the elimination of arbitrary and duplicative charges across the port system.
It also demanded measures to reduce cargo dwell time, improve empty-container return arrangements and protect freight forwarders and importers from exploitative practices.
The association further called for strict compliance with port concession agreements, stressing that predictable costs and efficient services are essential to improving the competitiveness of Nigerian ports.
The freight forwarding body also urged the Federal Government to ensure a clear delineation of responsibilities among the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and other maritime agencies.
According to APFFLON, clearly defined mandates are necessary to prevent duplication of functions, regulatory conflicts and institutional rivalry.
“The objective should be one coordinated port system serving the national economy,” the association said.
APFFLON maintained that the ultimate measure of the NPERA Act’s success should be its impact on everyday port users.
It identified lower costs of doing business, faster cargo clearance, predictable charges, efficient service delivery and improved port competitiveness as key indicators that should define the success of the new regulatory regime.
The association pledged its continued cooperation with the Shippers’ Council and other maritime stakeholders while urging the Council to exercise its new statutory authority courageously, fairly and transparently.
“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,” APFFLON said.
