The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has directed all shipping companies, shipping agents and terminal operators in Nigerian ports to immediately suspend and refrain from implementing any review or upward adjustment of their charges until full stakeholder engagement has been carried out.
In a statement, the Council clarified that recent tariff adjustments were approved strictly in line with its statutory mandate as the Port Economic Regulator, stressing that all reviews followed a transparent, structured and clearly defined regulatory process. According to the NSC, the process involved extensive technical and consultative engagements with affected service providers to assess cost drivers, operational realities, investment obligations and regulatory compliance.
The Council explained that such engagements did not amount to automatic approvals but rather formed part of a broader evaluative framework. Final decisions, it said, were reached only after rigorous internal, technical and financial assessments, guided by empirical evidence, regulatory benchmarks and prevailing economic conditions.
Despite this, the NSC has now directed shipping companies, agents and terminal operators to suspend any intended charge reviews until they have properly consulted and engaged their stakeholders. The Council warned that, as Port Economic Regulator, it would not hesitate to apply strict enforcement measures against any service provider whose actions disrupt port operations.
Emphasising that transparency, fairness and stakeholder participation remain central to port economic regulation in Nigeria, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Dr. Pius Akutah (MON), cautioned that the NSC is empowered to impose appropriate sanctions on defaulting operators.
He encouraged constructive engagement, dialogue and compliance, warning that any service provider that proceeds with charge reviews without stakeholder consultation should be prepared to face decisive regulatory action.
Dr. Akutah assured that the Nigerian Shippers’ Council remains committed to protecting the interests of port users, promoting fair competition and ensuring a stable, predictable business environment in the Nigerian maritime industry.
The statement was issued by the Head of Public Relations of the Council, Rebecca Adamu.
