The Nigerian Shippers’ Council says it recovered more than N197 billion for shippers and port users in 2025 through regulatory interventions and dispute resolution.

The disclosure was made in a statement issued by the council’s Public Relations Officer, Rebecca Adamu, quoting the Executive Secretary, Pius Akutah on Thursday in Lagos.

According to the council, port users lodged a total of 183 complaints across the four quarters of 2025. The second quarter recorded the highest recovery, with over N175.8 billion retrieved through regulatory interventions.

The council said the recoveries highlight its ongoing efforts to safeguard the interests of shippers and promote transparency in Nigeria’s maritime sector.

Akutah added that several complaints were successfully resolved through the council’s Alternative Dispute Resolution 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.

The council said the recoveries were recorded across the four quarters of 2025 following regulatory interventions in disputes involving port users.

First Quarter: The council received 41 complaints, resolving 22 of them and recovering over N62.8 million and $15,964 (about N24.4 million), bringing the total recovery for the quarter to about N87.2 million.

Second Quarter: A total of 40 complaints were filed, with 21 successfully resolved, resulting in the recovery of more than N175.8 billion and $30,000 (about N45.9 million) — the highest quarterly recovery recorded in 2025.

Third Quarter: The council received 46 complaints, resolved 26 cases, and recovered over N2.059 billion through regulatory interventions.

Fourth Quarter: 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 the interests of shippers and promote transparency in port operations.

He also urged stakeholders to report service infractions to enable appropriate regulatory action.

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council is a federal government agency under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, established 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, granting it authority to oversee tariffs, regulate service providers, and resolve disputes within the port sector.