NPA Moves to Enforce Compliance in Oil & Gas Terminals
By Amina Ojelabi
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched an investigation into several stevedoring firms operating at offshore and onshore oil and gas terminals for allegedly failing to remit royalties due to the federal government through the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
Sources confirmed that the firms, which have been engaged in stevedoring activities for international oil companies (IOCs) over the past decade, reportedly collect between $1.2 million and $1.5 million monthly. However, they have allegedly failed to remit the mandatory 20% to 30% royalty as stipulated in their contractual agreements with the NPA.
Despite the clear remittance obligations, enforcement has reportedly stalled for years due to the firms’ connections to powerful individuals within government circles.
The EFCC’s investigation was triggered by an anonymous petition, prompting the NPA to take fresh steps to address the issue. In a bid to streamline operations and verify compliance, the Authority summoned all affected firms to a maiden stevedoring operations meeting in April 2025.
A letter dated March 19, 2025, and signed by the Executive Director, Marine & Operations, Olalekan Badmus, was addressed to the President of the National Association of Stevedoring Operators (NASO), inviting all appointed stevedores to the session.
The meeting, which held on April 15, 2025, had a key agenda that included submission of monthly operational reports, contract verification, royalty remittances, service provision updates, equipment supply, operational challenges, and discussions on extra services.
Participants were required to present copies of their appointment letters and contractual agreements for verification. The NPA also used the platform to introduce a standardized template for tracking compliance and initiated preliminary discussions on establishing a harmonized Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) across the sector.
The developments mark a significant step towards sanitizing the stevedoring operations in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and enforcing accountability among licensed service providers.
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