• Minister sets up NPERA transition committee
• Ehingbeti seeks stronger maritime laws, security for coastal communities

Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has directed the transfer of the Inland Dry Ports’ (IDPs) functions to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), in a move aimed at creating a clear separation between port economic regulation, development and operations.

Oyetola, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Dr Bolaji Akinola, in Abuja yesterday, said the directive was to strengthen the IDPs’ programme by placing their promotion within an institution better positioned to integrate the facilities into the nation’s wider port infrastructure and operational network.

He also directed the immediate constitution of a ministerial committee to oversee the transition of the NSC to the NPERA.

MEANWHILE, the fourth Ehingbeti Blue Economy Hub is set to address weak regulatory frameworks and maritime insecurity.

The event, themed: ‘Securing Nigeria’s Blue Economy: Need to Strengthen Regulatory and Maritime Framework for Sustainable Coastal Development’, is scheduled for September 17, 2026, at the Lagos Oriental Hotel.

According to the minister, the directives were part of measures to establish a clear institutional framework for the new port economic regulatory regime, eliminate overlapping responsibilities and ensure that agencies under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy operate within clearly defined mandates.

Oyetola, who said that the transition from NSC to NPERA provides an opportunity to establish a regulatory institution that is clearly separated from operational, developmental and promotional responsibilities, stressed that the credibility and effectiveness of an economic regulator depends on its ability to function as an impartial referee without being encumbered by responsibilities that could create actual or perceived conflicts of interest.

The minister, however, assured stakeholders that the transfer should not be interpreted as a reduction in the Federal Government’s commitment to developing inland dry ports across the country.

Convener, Olaitan Williams, who spoke ahead of the event, said Nigeria could not fully harness the blue economy without deliberately integrating coastal communities into its development framework.

Williams, who traced Ehingbeti to the indigenous coastal settlement that predates modern Lagos State, said the area had historically demonstrated its people’s maritime potential.

he said the benefits of the blue economy would remain limited unless coastal communities, which constitute the foundation of many maritime activities, are included in policy and investment decisions.