Capt. Femi Amusa, a Master Mariner, said this in an interview with newsmen on Sunday in Lagos.
Amusa said the bill, which had undergone several legislative cycles and a presidential rejection, underscored both its significance and lingering concerns over mandate clarity, scope and regulatory overlap.
According to him, the proposed legislation seeks to institutionalise economic regulation in the port sector and strengthen the role previously played in a limited capacity by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.
“In principle, this is a necessary evolution. Modern port systems cannot function efficiently without an independent economic regulator to ensure tariff discipline, prevent abuse by terminal operators and promote transparency.
“Stakeholders have long advocated such a framework to improve efficiency and streamline operations across the maritime value chain,” he said.
Amusa, however, warned that repeated amendments to the bill raised questions about whether earlier concerns, including mandate ambiguity and the controversial freight stabilisation levy, had been fully addressed.
“Regulation without clarity risks creating another layer of bureaucracy and worsening the inefficiencies it seeks to solve,” he said.
Amusa said the focus should now shift from legislative passage to implementation and performance.
According to him, the success of the proposed agency will depend on operational independence, technical competence, stakeholder engagement and alignment with global regulatory best practices.
“Nigeria does not just need a regulator; it needs a credible one.
“Without credibility and effective execution, this bill could end up like many well-intentioned maritime reforms that failed to deliver meaningful impact,” he said.
Reports that the Senate on April 28 repassed the 2026 Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill, after addressing concerns earlier raised by the Presidency.
The bill seeks to establish an independent economic regulator for Nigeria’s port sector.
It was first passed by the National Assembly in July 2024 and transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
Tinubu declined assent in October 2025 following observations by the Ministry of Justice on some provisions of the bill.
The Senate subsequently revisited and amended the legislation before passing it again.(NAN)
