As Round Table To Discuss Role  Port Economic Regulator Holds

Hon Emmanuel Jime
ES/CEO, Shippers’ Council

The Federal Ministry of Transportation (FMOT), in collaboration with Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has announced that it is organizing a sensitization programme on functions of the council.

A statement signed by  Rakiya Dhikru-Yagboyaju, head, public Relations of the Council stated that the programme, which will be chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, is scheduled to hold Friday 22nd, July, 2022 at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, by 9.00am.

With the theme “Port Economic Regulator – NSC in Focus” the objective of the programme is to inform stakeholders and the general public on the mandate of the NSC as Port Economic Regulator.

According to the statement by the Council, Prof. Bongo Adi, a maritime economist will present a paper titled  “Promoting Competitiveness and Compliance in Nigerian maritime Industry”, at the event.

Regulated Service Providers, CEOs of Regulatory Agencies, Maritime Experts, Lawyers, Organized Private Sector and Shippers, Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders are expected to attend the sensitization programme.

Recalled that the Federal Government’s Port Reform programme of 2006 transferred the ownership of Nigerian’ ports to private investors. In the reform, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) was the Landlord and the technical regulator for the ports while there was no agency in the maritime sector given the mandate of port economic regulator. This brought about irregularities in the shipping sector. The anomalies include the imposition of different tariff headings by terminal operators and Shipping lines/agents, lack of holding bays for containers, shortage of modern cargo handling equipment, etc.

In-order to address the anomalies, the maritime stakeholders sought the appointment of a regulator for the ports.  which the Federal government acceded to by Government declaring the  Nigerian Shippers’ Council as Port Economic Regulator in 2015.

As the port economic regulator, NSC is saddled with the responsibility to institute effective regulation at ports, win collaboration with other government agencies.