The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) says it recovered more than N197 billion for shippers and port users in 2025 through regulatory interventions and dispute resolution efforts.
The recovery was disclosed on Thursday in Lagos in a statement issued by the council’s Public Relations Officer, Rebecca Adamu, quoting the Executive Secretary of the council, Pius Akutah.
According to the council, a total of 183 complaints were filed by port users across the four quarters of 2025, while the second quarter recorded the highest recovery with over N175.8 billion retrieved following regulatory interventions.
What NSC is saying
The council said the recoveries reflect its continued efforts to protect the interests of shippers and ensure transparency in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
Akutah said the council resolved several complaints through its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) framework.
- “The majority of complaints were lodged against shipping companies and their agents, with arbitrary charges and container deposit refund disputes ranking highest,” he said.
He added that many of the complaints involved issues such as delayed container deposit refunds, cargo damage, missing containers and documentation lapses.
More insights
The council said the recoveries were recorded across the four quarters of 2025 following regulatory interventions in disputes involving port users.
- First Quarter (Q1): The council received 41 complaints, out of which 22 were resolved, recovering over N62.8 million and $15,964 (about N24.4 million), bringing the total recovery in the quarter to about N87.2 million.
- Second Quarter (Q2): A total of 40 complaints were filed, with 21 successfully resolved, leading to the recovery of over N175.8 billion and $30,000 (about N45.9 million) — the highest quarterly recovery recorded in 2025.
- Third Quarter (Q3): The council received 46 complaints, resolving 26 cases, and recovered over N2.059 billion through its regulatory interventions.
- Fourth Quarter (Q4): Out of 56 complaints received, the council resolved 39 cases, recovering over N16.3 million and $39,779.02 (about N60.8 million) for port users.
Akutah said the council’s interventions align with its statutory mandate to protect shippers’ interests and promote transparency in port operations, while urging stakeholders to report service infractions for regulatory action.
What you should know
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) is a federal government agency under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy created in 1978 to safeguard the interests of importers and exporters involved in maritime trade.
In 2014, the government designated the council as the Port Economic Regulator, giving it authority to oversee tariffs, regulate service providers and resolve disputes in the port sector.
Pius Akutah Ukeyima was appointed Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the council by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in October 2023.
Nigeria’s ports have long faced operational challenges, including congestion, excessive charges and frequent complaints from port users.
In response, the Federal Government in October 2025 reiterated plans to reform port operations, targeting a reduction in the country’s average cargo clearance time to less than seven days by the end of 2026 and positioning Nigeria’s ports among the three most efficient trade gateways in Africa.
