The pioneer Director-General of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), Dr Akutah Pius Ukeyima, MON, FCILT, has charged staff to embrace a new culture of commitment and professionalism as the agency begins operations under its expanded mandate.
Speaking at a town hall meeting at NPERA’s Lagos headquarters, Akutah said the transition from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to NPERA represents more than a change of name, stressing that it requires a fundamental shift in the way the agency regulates Nigeria’s ports.
The engagement was one of the management’s first major interactions with staff following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the NPERA Act, which formally establishes the agency as an economic regulator for the nation’s ports.
Akutah described the legislation as a major milestone in Nigeria’s maritime sector, saying the new legal framework gives NPERA stronger regulatory powers to improve port efficiency, promote transparency, curb anti-competitive practices and strengthen Nigeria’s position in 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.
According to him, an efficient and predictable maritime environment is critical to the Federal Government’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy, as the ports remain central to trade, investment and economic growth.
Akutah expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for signing the legislation into law, describing the Act as the legal foundation needed to transform NPERA into a strong and effective economic regulator.
He also commended the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, for his leadership and efforts in building stakeholder consensus around the legislation, while appreciating the National Assembly for passing the law.
Addressing concerns over possible rivalry between maritime agencies, Akutah assured stakeholders that NPERA would work closely with sister agencies, particularly the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), to strengthen institutional reforms and improve service delivery.
He dismissed fears of turf wars, explaining that the NPERA Act clearly defines the agency’s role as the premier economic regulator of port activities while allowing other institutions to perform their statutory functions.
“NPERA is to promote a healthy sector that will grow the economy of Nigeria,” Akutah said.
The new NPERA Act transforms the former Nigerian Shippers’ Council into a statutory economic regulator with an expanded mandate covering tariffs, service standards, fair competition, trade facilitation and the resolution of commercial disputes within Nigeria’s ports ecosystem.
