The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) said it has saved Nigerian shippers and the nation’s economy over N90.60 billion and US$1.348 million through regulatory interventions, consumer protection measures and alternative dispute resolution between November 2023 and June 2026.
Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Dr. Pius Akutah disclosed this on Saturday during a media lunch with maritime editors in Lagos.
According to the NSC boss, the savings comprised ₦86.06billion in unjustified demurrage payments and securing savings of ₦4.54 billion and US$1.348 million recovered through Alternative Dispute Resolution and other regulatory interventions.
Akutah disclosed that within the review period, the Council received 558 complaints from port users and resolved 295 commercial disputes.
The cases, he said involved container deposits, demurrage, detention charges, terminal charges, cargo claims, export fraud and other commercial disputes.
He said another major achievement was the harmonisation of bonded terminal invoice charges from 18 categories to six, eliminating duplicate charges and improving billing transparency for port users.
According to him, the Council’s interventions have improved economic regulation, consumer protection, trade facilitation, digital transformation, institutional renewal and stakeholder engagement, while helping to reduce the cost of doing business at Nigerian ports.
Akutah also announced that the Council secured statutory funding through the 2025 Appropriation Act for the first time since its establishment in 1978, providing a sustainable funding framework for its regulatory activities.
On legislative reforms, Akutah described the passage of the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Bill by both chambers of the National Assembly as a significant milestone in the maritime sector.
He noted that once assented to by the President, the legislature would establish an independent port economic regulator with enhanced powers to regulate tariffs, service standards, competition and commercial conduct.
“Another significant milestone is the approval of the Council’s statutory funding mechanism, captured in the 2025 Appropriation Act for the first time since the Council’s establishment in 1978. This provides a sustainable framework for effective regulation, with collection to be integrated into the National Single Window platform.
“The Council has actively supported the National Single Window Project, which is expected to simplify cargo clearance, improve coordination among government agencies and reduce the time and cost of doing business at Nigerian ports.
“Similarly, outstanding issues delaying implementation of the ICTN have been resolved. Once operational, the ICTN will strengthen cargo visibility, improve trade intelligence, enhance supply chain security and support regulatory compliance.
“During the period under review, the Council reviewed and approved tariff requests for shipping companies, terminal operators and Inland Dry Ports after rigorous regulatory assessment. It also continued to confirm the reasonableness of freight rates, charter party fees and vessel demurrage for foreign exchange transactions, as well as freight charges on export cargoes, thereby supporting transparency and helping to curb capital flight, ” he said.
Akutah added that the Council had continued to promote multimodal transport through the development of Inland Dry Ports, Vehicle Transit Areas and Border Information Centres, while advancing digital transformation with the deployment of an Enterprise Content Management System and a Leadership and Succession Planning Project.
The NSC boss said the achievements recorded were part of a broad reform agenda aimed at strengthening the Council’s role as Nigeria’s Port Economic Regulator and repositioning it as a modern, efficient and globally competitive institution in line with President ‘s Renewed Hope Agenda and the policy direction of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
He reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to deepening port economic regulation, protecting shippers, expanding trade facilitation infrastructure and supporting the transition to the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency upon presidential assent to the Bill.
He assured that priority will also be given to the development of permanent Border Information Centre facilities, leadership development, succession planning, as well as workforce transformation.
According to him, the Council will continue to collaborate with government agencies, industry stakeholders, development partners and the media to build a transparent, competitive and investment-friendly maritime sector capable of positioning Nigeria as the leading maritime and logistics gateway in West and Central Africa.
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