Maritime industry stakeholders are urgently requesting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sign the Nigeria Port Economy Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Bill into law as he approaches his second year in office. The NPERA Bill, already passed by the National Assembly, seeks to transform Nigeria’s seaport operations and resolve inter-agency rivalries that have long hindered operational efficiency and reform efforts. The bill aims to reposition the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) as the lead economic regulator of the ports, establishing a unified framework for overseeing shipping lines, terminal operators, and other service providers.

The maritime legislation has faced repeated delays for a decade, since its initial introduction during the Goodluck Jonathan administration, due to bureaucratic hurdles, political indecision, and conflicts among key agencies. Dr. Eugene Nweke, Head of Research at the Sea Empowerment and Research Centre, has lauded the bill’s progress and urged stakeholders to maintain pressure on the presidency to ensure its enactment.

Dr. Nweke emphasized the bill's potential to end inter-agency conflicts within the sector. He commended the Tinubu administration for its emphasis on professionalism in policy and appointments, which has reduced tribalism's influence. According to Dr. Nweke, the bill introduces clarity, aligns legislative empowerment, and centralizes revenue functions, addressing a major problem of supremacy battles among agencies.

If enacted, the NPERA Bill will establish a central economic authority for port operations, responsible for setting tariffs, resolving disputes, curbing arbitrary charges, and ensuring transparency in port concession arrangements. Dr. Kayode Farinto, the former acting president of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), highlighted the strategic value of the bill, which will provide regulatory authority, financial independence, and a legislative mandate to sanitize the port economy.

Dr. Farinto also noted his contribution to the bill, proposing that NSC charge 0.05 percent from funds allocated to shipping agents and shipwreck staff. This measure would boost NSC's revenue and create a beneficial arrangement for the federal government.