By bimbola Adewale
The Director General/CEO of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency, (NPERA), Dr. Akutah Pius, MON, has urged staff to embrace the culture of commitment, and professionalism as the Agency commences operations under its new statutory mandate as Nigeria’s ports economic regulator.
Speaking at a town hall meeting with staff at the Agency’s headquarters in Lagos, Dr. Akutah said the transition from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to NPERA demands a shift in both work culture and operational mindsets to deliver effective economic regulation across the nation’s ports.
The meeting marked one of Management’s first major engagements with employees following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the NPERA Act, 2026.
Akutah described the legislation as a milestone for Nigeria’s maritime sector, saying it strengthened the Agency’s powers to curb unethical practices, improve port efficiency and enhance the country’s competitiveness in regional and global trade.
“The NPERA Act has strengthened our regulatory powers to institute effective regulation at the ports. With this mandate, we are positioned to drive efficiency, transparency and competitiveness in the port sector” he said.
He added that the Agency’s expanded responsibilities would contribute significantly to the Federal Government’s ambition of building a $ 1 trillion economy by creating a more predictable and efficient, business-friendly port environment.
The DG commended President Tinubu for signing the bill into law, describing the Act as the long-awaited legal framework needed to reposition the Agency as a full-fledged economic regulator.
He also commended the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, for providing leadership and fostering stakeholder consensus that facilitated the passage of the legislation.
Akutah also expressed appreciation to the National Assembly for enacting the law..
The DG assured stakeholders that NPERA would work closely with sister agencies, particularly the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), to deepen reforms and improve service delivery across the maritime sector.
He stressed that the new law does not create institutional rivalry but clearly defines NPERA’s role as the economic regulator of port activities.
“NPERA is to promote a healthy sector that will grow the economy of Nigeria,” he said.
The NPERA Act establishes the former Nigerian Shippers’ Council as a statutory economic regulator with a broader mandate to regulate tariffs and charges, enforce service standards, promote fair competition, facilitate trade, and resolve commercial disputes within Nigeria’s ports industry.
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