ABUJA – The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Akutah Pius, has called for stronger collaboration among government agencies operating at Nigeria’s seaports, saying improved inter-agency coordination is critical to eliminating cargo clearance delays, reducing cargo damage and lowering the growing volume of legal and financial disputes associated with prolonged port operations.
Akutah made the call on Thursday while speaking during a technical session at the ongoing 18th International Maritime Seminar for Judges in Abuja, where maritime administrators, legal practitioners, judges and industry stakeholders examined emerging legal and commercial issues affecting Nigeria’s maritime sector.
Speaking on the consequences of cargo delays and their legal and financial implications, the NSC boss said inefficiencies arising from poor coordination among port agencies continue to undermine trade facilitation, increase the cost of doing business and weaken the competitiveness of Nigerian ports.
According to him, seamless collaboration among the Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), security agencies and other government institutions operating within the port environment is essential to achieving faster cargo clearance and improving overall port efficiency.
He noted that delays in cargo processing often result in avoidable demurrage, storage charges, cargo deterioration, supply chain disruptions and prolonged litigation, with significant economic consequences for importers, exporters and other port users.
Akutah said the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to modernise port operations and improve the ease of doing business would achieve greater results if agencies operating within the ports worked in a coordinated and technology-driven manner.
The NSC chief also pointed to the proposed Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Bill as a major legislative intervention capable of addressing many of the structural and commercial challenges affecting Nigeria’s port industry.
He explained that although some legal experts at the seminar had advocated a stronger legal framework to protect terminal operators under the port concession regime, the NPERA Bill, which designates the Nigerian Shippers’ Council as the country’s statutory Port Economic Regulator, provides a comprehensive framework for regulating commercial relationships within the port sector.
According to him, the proposed legislation will strengthen economic regulation, promote transparency and accountability, ensure fair competition, prevent arbitrary charges, enhance service delivery and create a more predictable business environment for investors and port users.
The bill is also expected to fill the regulatory gap created after the 2006 port concession programme, under which terminal operations were transferred to private operators while government retained ownership of port infrastructure through the Nigerian Ports Authority. For years, stakeholders have advocated the establishment of an independent economic regulator to balance the interests of terminal operators, shipping companies, cargo owners and other port users.
Akutah further described the International Maritime Seminar for Judges as one of the most strategic capacity-building initiatives for strengthening maritime jurisprudence in Nigeria.
“The importance of maritime cases cannot be overemphasised. This seminar provides an important opportunity for judges handling maritime matters to deepen their knowledge while enabling stakeholders to identify areas requiring improvement for the growth of the sector,” he said.
He stressed that regular engagement between the judiciary and maritime stakeholders would contribute significantly to the development of the sector by promoting consistency in judicial decisions, improving dispute resolution and enhancing confidence in Nigeria’s maritime legal system.
According to him, delays in the adjudication of maritime disputes discourage investment and diminish confidence in the country’s justice system.
“No investor will bring capital into a country where there is no confidence in the judicial system. Maritime disputes are often complex, time-consuming and expensive to resolve. One of the key objectives of this seminar is to promote alternative dispute resolution mechanisms that will ensure quicker settlement of maritime disputes and inspire investor confidence in Nigeria’s maritime sector,” he said.
Earlier during the technical session, maritime lawyers, industry experts and stakeholders canvassed a more robust legal framework to strengthen investor confidence under Nigeria’s port concession model while ensuring an equitable balance between the rights and obligations of terminal operators, shipping companies, service providers and port users.
The annual International Maritime Seminar for Judges, jointly organised by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and the National Judicial Institute (NJI), has become one of Nigeria’s foremost platforms for strengthening judicial capacity in maritime law. The seminar brings together Justices of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Federal High Court judges, maritime administrators, legal practitioners and industry experts to deliberate on emerging issues in admiralty law, international trade, port regulation and alternative dispute resolution.
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council, established in 1978 to protect the interests of Nigerian shippers, currently serves as the interim Port Economic Regulator pending the passage of the NPERA Bill. The Council has continued to champion reforms aimed at improving port efficiency, reducing the cost of logistics, promoting fair trade practices and enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness as a regional maritime and trade hub.
