Pius Akutah… Repositioning Nigerian Shipper’s Council for peak performance

The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Shippers Council, Pius Akutah, is leaving no stone unturned in his bid to strengthen the council and streamline its operations towards effective discharge of its mandate. A lawyer, Akutah inherited a council that faces several challenges in the performance of its regulatory roles.

These include regulatory resistance and compliance, the gap created by non-regulation of the commercial components of port concession, lack of strong legal framework, infrastructure deficiencies, lack of coordination among stakeholders, political interference and bureaucracy, high cost of doing business, port congestion and inefficiency, limited private sector participation, technological limitations, security and corruption issues, among others.

As huge as these challenges appear, Akutah is undeterred. He has rather been making determined efforts to address them to enable the council meet the evolving demands of a dynamic global trade environment.
 
Addressing journalists recently, Akutah outlined the efforts the Council was making to significantly enhance the performance of its role and contribute to the country’s economic growth.
  
One of such is the Council’s plan to kick-off the implementation of the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN). The ICTN is an automated scheme, which can determine the type and volume of cargo that are imported into the country through seaports within a specific period. It will also boost Nigeria’s security and enhance the Federal Government’s revenue from the seaports if implemented.
  
Akutah stated that the planned commencement of the ICTN is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to diversify the revenue base of Nigeria’s economy.
 
He further stated that the NSC was promoting the effective operationalisation of the National Single Window (NSW) in the country. The NSW Trade Portal is a cross-government website that provides a single access point for trade participants to access resources and services from Nigerian government agencies
 
He also disclosed that efforts were in place by the council to implement some new innovations such as the adoption and implementation of Enterprise Content Management (ECM) to improve internal work processes and procedures of the Council.

Akutah said the NSC’s involvement in fostering public-private partnerships (PPP) in the development of port infrastructure, logistics facilities, and transport networks presents an opportunity for collaboration with private investors, which could help alleviate infrastructure challenges. These partnerships, he noted, could also extend to training and capacity-building programmes for shippers, freight forwarders, and other industry stakeholders.

According to him, as the global shipping industry increasingly focuses on sustainability, the NSC has an opportunity to lead Nigeria’s shipping sector towards green practices, including the adoption of eco-friendly vessels, renewable energy solutions, and waste management systems in the ports.

“Such efforts will not only improve Nigeria’s environmental standing but also make its maritime sector more attractive to international investors and trading partners,” he noted. He, however, observed that there is an urgent need to repeal the existing NSC Act in order to empower the Council to be able to discharge its mandate as Port Economic Regulator.

His words: “Consequently, the bill which seeks to repeal the Nigerian Shipper’s Council Act cap 133 laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) and enact the Nigerian port regulatory agency act is already passed by House of Representatives and is awaiting concurrence of the Senate.

“The Port Economic Regulation Bill, when passed into law, will promote efficiency and streamline processes in the nations maritime sector. These roles that they are playing as economic regulators, once we have the law in place, will give the Council the necessary clout to regulate the sector effectively. The idea of pushing for its transmutation to Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency is to enhance efficiency and competitiveness of the nation’s port.

“Meanwhile, the council has been having constructive engagement with all stakeholders to ensure efficiency at the nations port. Recently, an agreement was signed by the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and the Shipping Agencies, Clearing and Forwarding Employers Association (SACFEA) for minimum standards of conditions of service for workers in the shipping industry.

“This is to ensure labour stability in the sector to mitigate incessant labour unrest. Looking forward, things would change holistically. There will be effective regulation, streamlining of ports process, removal of checkpoints, free port access roads, automation as well as addressing other anomalies at the nations port.”

Akutah said the council was looking forward to sustained investment in port and transport infrastructure, leveraging public-private partnerships to address bottlenecks and capacity issues; further investment in digital technologies to modernise operations, reduce inefficiencies, and improve transparency within the shipping and logistics sectors; more comprehensive training programmes targeting industry stakeholders to improve skills and knowledge, particularly in logistics, shipping management, and digital tools; close collaboration with regional trade bodies to maximise the opportunities presented by the AfCFTA, ensuring that Nigerian shippers are well-positioned in the global marketplace; and a more aggressive push towards green shipping initiatives to position Nigeria’s maritime sector as a sustainable and responsible part of the global supply chain.

He concluded: “The NSC is at a pivotal moment in its history, as it transitions to meet the evolving demands of a dynamic global trade environment. While significant challenges exist, the prospects for the future are promising. By embracing technological advancements, strengthening regional integration, and focusing on sustainability, the NSC has the opportunity to reposition itself as a world-class regulator and facilitator of trade. The successful implementation of these prospects will require strong collaboration with key stakeholders, continued advocacy for policy reforms, and a commitment to enhancing the capacity of Nigeria’s maritime and logistics sectors.”