•NSC boss, Dr. Pius Akutah
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has directed all shipping companies, shipping agents and terminal operators across the nation’s seaports to immediately suspend any review or upward adjustment of their charges until they have fully engaged and consulted relevant stakeholders.
The directive, issued by the Council in its capacity as Nigeria’s Port Economic Regulator, comes amid rising discontent within the maritime industry over recent increases in shipping and ancillary charges, which have triggered protests by freight forwarders and heightened tensions at the ports.
The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, warned that the Council is empowered under its regulatory mandate to apply appropriate sanctions, including enforcement measures provided for under relevant regulatory frameworks, reports Daily Independent.
While encouraging constructive engagement, dialogue and compliance, he stressed that any service provider that proceeds with charge reviews without stakeholder consultation should be prepared to face sanctions.
In a statement signed by the Head of Public Relations, Rebecca Adamu, the Council clarified that recent tariff adjustments were approved strictly in line with its statutory mandate and followed a transparent, structured and well defined regulatory process.
According to the NSC, the process involved detailed technical and consultative engagements with affected service providers to examine cost drivers, operational realities, investment obligations and regulatory compliance.
The Council stressed that such engagements did not amount to automatic approvals but were part of a broader evaluative process, with final decisions reached only after rigorous internal, technical and financial assessments guided by empirical evidence, regulatory benchmarks and prevailing economic conditions.
The NSC cautioned shipping companies, agents and terminal operators against implementing any charge reviews without first carrying along their stakeholders. It warned that any port service provider found disrupting port operations through unilateral tariff reviews would face decisive regulatory action.
Akutah assured port users and industry stakeholders that the Nigerian Shippers’ Council remains committed to protecting their interests, promoting fair competition and ensuring a balanced, predictable and sustainable business environment within the Nigerian maritime industry.
