Shippers’ council urges port users to complete online registration

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has called on all port service providers and users to complete their mandatory online registration and obtain certification, warning that failure to comply will attract a range of penalties.

This message was delivered by the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the NSC, Mr Pius Akutah, during a one-day stakeholder sensitisation session held on Tuesday in Kano. Akutah was represented at the event by Hannah Adaba, Deputy Director of Stakeholders Services at the Council.

He noted that the registration exercise is in line with the Council’s goal of fostering efficiency, accountability, and regulatory compliance within the port and shipping industry.

“The consequences of non-compliance may include the withdrawal of NSC services from defaulters, cancellation of their registration certificates or licences to operate within Nigerian ports, denial of access to the Council’s complaints resolution platform, and potential blacklisting,” he warned.

Akutah explained that the compulsory online registration of regulated port service providers and users is being carried out in accordance with Part II, Section 4(1) of the Port Economic Regulation 2015.

He described the digital registration platform as a major step forward in the Council’s efforts toward digitisation and smoother trade processes.

“This system allows companies to complete their registrations entirely online, eliminating the need for physical visits to NSC offices, as long as they submit the required documentation and payments,” he said.

He added that this move fits into the Council’s broader strategy of removing bureaucratic hurdles, improving transparency, and enhancing the ease of doing business in the maritime sector.

Akutah also addressed the planned implementation of the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN), calling it a strategic measure designed to increase cargo visibility, improve revenue assurance, tackle under-declaration of cargo, and strengthen national security within trade operations.

“I encourage all stakeholders to cooperate fully and support the Council’s initiatives aimed at robust port economic regulation, trade facilitation, and improving Nigeria’s global competitiveness,” he stated.

He reaffirmed the NSC’s dedication to its statutory responsibilities as the Port Economic Regulator, adding that the Council is actively working toward transforming into the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency (NIPERA).

Ahmed Umar-Yazah, Director of the North-West Zonal Coordinating Office in Kano, also spoke at the session. He said the NSC has made notable progress in boosting operational efficiency at the ports and reducing delays that have long plagued Nigerian shippers.

“Since Mr Akutah took office, we’ve witnessed a decline in unethical practices by certain port actors, and over N6 billion has been recovered on behalf of individual and corporate shippers,” Umar-Yazah revealed.

He assured stakeholders that the Council remains open to constructive feedback aimed at improving its regulatory services and strengthening its engagement with industry players.

Also addressing participants, Mr Celestine Akujobi, Director of Consumer Affairs at the NSC, encouraged all stakeholders to seize the opportunity to register online, stating that doing so would contribute meaningfully to the growth and formalisation of their businesses.