The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has called on maritime industry stakeholders to rally behind the Shipping and Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill 2023, emphasizing its critical role in advancing the nation’s maritime sector.
Speaking during the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) 2024 Annual Conference and Awards in Lagos, themed “Nigeria’s Maritime Industry Under the Renewed Hope Agenda: What is New?”, the NSC’s Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Barrister Akutah Pius, highlighted the importance of the bill. Represented by Rotimi Anifowose, Director of Strategic Planning and Research, Akutah underscored the Council’s commitment to the bill’s enactment.
“The bill, once passed into law, will strengthen the regulatory authority of the Council, enforce compliance, regulate port charges, and eliminate exploitative practices,” he stated. “It will enhance efficiency, ensure fair trade practices, facilitate faster dispute resolution, and boost Nigeria’s maritime competitiveness globally.”
Akutah further noted that the bill aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, positioning Nigeria as a regional hub for shipping. He urged stakeholders to work collectively towards ensuring the President’s assent.
“For a nation striving to modernize its maritime sector, we must emphasize the functionality of a port economic regulator,” he said. “This bill is essential to addressing port efficiency and effective trade facilitation. It has already advanced through concurrent reviews by the House of Representatives and the Senate. Now, we need everyone’s support to get it signed into law.”
Recent Achievements of the NSC
Highlighting the Council’s contributions, Akutah outlined recent milestones, including:
1. Signing a Bond with the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy: A landmark agreement to solidify maritime industry reforms.
2. Commissioning the Funtua Inland Dry Port: Enhancing inland trade connectivity.
3. Improving Maritime Workers’ Conditions: Negotiating and implementing minimum standards of service to safeguard workers’ rights.
4. Curbing Illegal Capital Flight: Addressing financial losses in the sector.
5. Developing a Real-Time Mobile App: Providing instant trade, shipping, and logistics data for industry stakeholders.
These initiatives, he explained, aim to fulfill the Renewed Hope Agenda and restore confidence in Nigeria’s maritime operations.
Call for Action
Akutah highlighted Nigeria’s potential, citing the Lome Port’s heavy reliance on Nigerian-bound cargo. “Eighty-five to ninety percent of cargo at Lome Port is destined for Nigeria. We need to fix systemic challenges to ensure that importers and exporters trust our ports,” he emphasized.
He also called on the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to support the reform agenda by fostering an environment conducive to trade. “Revenue generation is critical, but we can achieve more by creating a system that attracts importers and exporters to our ports,” he added.
The NSC’s appeal seeks to unite stakeholders in driving reforms that will elevate Nigeria’s maritime sector, ensuring its competitiveness and contribution to the global market.
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