By Abiodun Folarin
WorldStage– The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, has directed the transfer of the Inland Dry Port (IDP), functions currently performed by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
The directive is part of measures to reposition Nigeria’s port sector under a clearer institutional framework following the establishment of the Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA).
Oyetola, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser, Dr Bolaji Akinola, in Abuja on Thursday, also ordered the immediate constitution of a ministerial committee to oversee the transition of the NSC into NPERA.
The transition follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the NPERA Act, 2026, which formally establishes a substantive economic regulator for Nigeria’s port sector.
According to the minister, the directives are aimed at separating port economic regulation from development, operations and promotional functions, while eliminating overlapping responsibilities among agencies under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
The NPERA Act, signed by President Tinubu in August, brings to an end about two decades of efforts to establish a dedicated statutory economic regulator for Nigeria’s port sector.
Under the new law, the NSC, which has served as the country’s interim port economic regulator since 2014, will transmute into NPERA.
NPERA is expected to concentrate on core economic regulatory functions, including regulation of tariffs and charges, promotion of competition, licensing, service standards, commercial dispute resolution and protection of port users.
Oyetola said the transition presents an opportunity to establish a regulatory institution that is independent of operational, developmental and promotional responsibilities.
“We must get the transition right. The establishment of NPERA is a landmark reform, and the process of moving from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to the Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency must be carefully managed,” he said.
He said the ministerial committee would provide the necessary oversight to ensure a seamless transition and that every function is domiciled in the appropriate institution.
The minister stressed that the effectiveness and credibility of an economic regulator depend largely on its ability to operate as an impartial referee without responsibilities that could create actual or perceived conflicts of interest.
According to him, the Federal Government wants NPERA to focus fully on its statutory regulatory mandate, while operational, developmental and promotional responsibilities are transferred to agencies with the appropriate mandates and institutional capacity.
“The emergence of NPERA marks a new chapter in the governance of Nigeria’s port sector. It is therefore important that the new economic regulator is freed from functions that are not compatible with economic regulation.
“A regulator cannot function as an operator and, at the same time, be expected to be perceived as an unbiased referee,” Oyetola said.
He said the clearer separation of responsibilities would strengthen confidence in the regulatory framework, improve transparency and provide a more predictable operating environment for port users, investors, terminal operators, shipping companies and other stakeholders.
On the transfer of the IDP functions to the NPA, Oyetola said the decision should not be viewed as a reduction in the Federal Government’s commitment to the development of inland dry ports across the country.
Rather, he said, the objective was to strengthen the IDP programme by placing its promotion within an institution better positioned to integrate the facilities into Nigeria’s broader port infrastructure and operational network.
“We are committed to strengthening the development of the Inland Dry Ports by placing their promotion within the agency with the appropriate operational and infrastructure mandate.
“The ultimate objective is to create a more efficient and integrated port system that serves the entire country,” the minister added.
