The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has equipped its management team with the technical expertise and other relevant skills necessary for effective economic regulation of the nation’s maritime industry.
This is just as the National Assembly has passed the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Bill, which is now awaiting assent from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NSC, Dr Pius Akutah, during the Council’s 2025 Operational Retreat for Middle Management staff of the Council in Abeokuta, Ogun State, stated that once signed into law, the bill will empower the new agency with stronger, independent regulatory powers, including enforceable legal authority and provisions for criminal prosecutions.
Akutah stressed the importance of preparation, knowledge-sharing and internal capacity building in anticipation of the new regulatory era. He noted the critical timing of the retreat, as it coincides with the near completion of the legislative groundwork for the new regulatory agency. He reaffirmed that despite the ongoing transitional phase, the NSC has remained fully operational and is actively engaged in its mandate, including reducing arbitrary charges, enhancing stakeholder engagement, and fostering effective dispute-resolution mechanisms.
“This transition, when fully operational, will serve as an evolutionary case study in Nigeria’s maritime and port regulatory framework. We are not walking this path alone; our minister, sister agencies, and key stakeholders have been fully supportive,” he added.
The President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Nigeria and former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mrs. Mfon Usoro, commended the Council for prioritising middle management capacity development as the agency transitions into its new role as an economic regulator of the country’s port system.
Usoro emphasised that middle managers serve as the engine room of any agency and play a crucial role in implementing policies and driving institutional efficiency.
According to her, the retreat’s focus on preparing this cadre of staff for their evolving responsibilities under the new regulatory framework is both timely and essential.
