FG Transfers Inland Dry Ports Control to NPA

The federal government of Nigeria has ordered the transfer of inland dry-port functions from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). This directive was issued by Adegboyega Oyetola, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, on Thursday.

The move aims to separate port regulation from the development and operation of port infrastructure. A committee has been established to oversee the NSC's transition into the newly created Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA).

Nigeria currently has three operational inland dry ports: the Kaduna Inland Dry Port, Dala Inland Dry Port in Kano, and Funtua Dry Port in Katsina, with four additional ports in Oyo, Abia, Plateau, Borno, and Lagos states in various planning stages. This directive follows President Bola Tinubu's assent to the NPERA Act last month, which establishes a statutory economic regulator for Nigeria’s ports, replacing the NSC's 12-year interim regulatory role.

Under the new arrangement, NPERA will regulate tariffs, competition, licensing, service standards, and commercial disputes, while the NPA will manage inland dry-port functions.