NIGERIAN PORTS AUTHORITY ACT

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NIGERIAN PORTS AUTHORITY ACT

CHAPTER N126 LAWS OF THE FEDERATION OF NIGERIA, L.F.N. 2004

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ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Part I: Establishment, etc., of the Nigerian Ports Authority and its Governing Board

1.     Establishment of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

2.     Establishment and membership of the governing Board.   

3.     Tenure of office etc.

4.     Removal from office etc.     

5.     Emolument etc.  

6.     Disclosure of interest

Part II: Functions and Powers

7.     Functions of the Authority.  

8.     Powers of the Authority.     

9.     Power to act through officer or agent, etc.

Part III: Staff

10.    Managing Director and Executive Directors of the Authority.      

11.    Other staff of the Authority, etc.   

12.    Service in the Authority to be pensionable.

Part IV: Financial Provisions

13.    Fund of the Authority.        

14.    Reserve funds.   

15.    Application of surplus revenue

16.    Power to borrow money and raise capital from non-Government sources.   

17.    Power to borrow money from Government sources, etc.  

18.    Power to borrow money temporarily.

19.    Investment of moneys.       

20.    Annual estimates, accounts and audit.   

21.    Annual report and periodical returns.

22.    Exemption from tax.   

23.    Power to accept gifts.         

Part V: Provisions Relating to Land

24.    Compulsory acquisition of land      

25.    Restrictions on alienation of land   

26.    Power to enter land to erect beacons and make surveys.

27.    Power to remove obstruction to visibility of lighthouses and beacons. 

28.    When notice of entry on land to be given.      

29.    Compensation for damages.

Part VI: Declaration of Ports

30.    Power to declare places, etc. as ports, their limits and approaches.                           

Part VII: Regulation of Ports

31.    Power to appoint harbour master.        

32.    Power of Authority to make port regulations.         

Part VIII: Regulation of Piers in Ports

33.    Restriction on the erection, etc. of piers.        

34.    Licences for erection, etc. of piers.      

35.    Cancellation of licence for breach of condition or contravention of regulation or public interest.

36.    Removal of piers.      

37.    Regulations relating to piers.

38.    Application to the State.

Part IX: Regulation of the Wharves, etc. of the Authority

39.    Authority to set apart customs area.      

40.    Power of the Authority to make bye-laws for control, etc. of wharves.                

Part X: Pilotage

41.    Minister may establish pilotage districts.

42.    Obligations where pilotage is compulsory.       

43.    Power of Authority in relation to pilots.

44.    Establishment and membership of pilotage boards.  

45.    Duties of pilotage board      

46.    Meetings of pilotage board.

47.    Inquiries into conduct of pilots.     

48.    Power to take evidence on oath and summon witnesses.

49.    Misconduct of witnesses.

50.    Punishment of pilots by pilotage board.  

51.    Appeal to Minister against decision of pilotage board.       

52.    Revocation of pilot’s licence by the Authority.

53.    Power of the Authority to make regulations for pilotage districts.       

54.    Liability of the master or owner in the case of a ship under pilotage.  

55.    Limitation of pilot’s liability when bond is given.

Part XI: Dues and Rate

56.    Harbour dues and rates.      

57.    Master to supply information on arrival.        

58.    Master to supply information on proceeding outwards.

59.    Time of payment of harbour dues.        

60.    Liability for payment of harbour dues and rates.      

61.    Consignee or agent may retain harbour dues out of owner’s moneys.

62.    Pilotage dues and fees.      

63.    Liability for payment of dues.       

64.    Consignee or agent may retain ships’ dues out of owner’s moneys.

65.    Levy of rates.    

66.    Authority to have lien on goods.   

67.    Lien for freight preserved after landing if notice given.

68.    Discharge of lien by payment or release

69.    Power of authority to sell if rates not paid or lien not discharged.       

70.    Application of proceeds of sale.

71.    Power of Authority to make regulations for levy of dues.  

72.    Power of entry to ascertain dues, etc.   

73.    Weight and measuring of goods in case of dispute.

74.    Payment of expenses of weighting and measuring.  

75.    Power to detain or arrest ship, etc. for non-payment of dues and rates.      

76.    Clearance to e withheld until dues or rates are paid.

77.    Authority may recover dues, rates, etc., by suit.     

78.    Book specifying dues and rates to be kept at port.  

79.    Exemptions from provisions of this Part.

80.    Application of this Part to Government goods.                         

Part XII: Liability of the Authority

81.    Liability of Authority for loss of life or injury passengers.   

82.    No liability for delay to passengers.       

83.    Liability for loss or damage to goods.

84.    Liability for delay of goods.  

85.    Limitation of liability for loss of animals.

86.    Liability for loss of goods.

87.    Limitation of liability of the Authority in connection with pilotage.       

88.    Limitation of liability where several claims on occasion.    

89.    Power of court to consolidate claims.

90.    Liability in connection with pilotage when Authority ship owner.  

91.    Licensing of pilots does not involve liability.            

 Part XIII: Legal Proceedings

92.    Legal proceedings.      

93.    Service of documents.

94.    Restriction on execution against the property of the Authority.

95.    Stay of arrest. in certain cases.    

96.    Representation of Authority at hearing of Suit.                

Part XIV: Offences

97.    Damage to lighthouses, buoys and beacons.   

98.    Power to prohibit false, lights etc.

99.    Penalty for obstructing authorised entry, etc.

100.  Penalty in respect of ship entering compulsory pilotage district without pilotage.   

101.  Penalty on pilot endangering a ship.      

102.  Penalty for illegal piloting.

103.  Evasion of dues and rates.   

104.  Failure to comply with sections 57 and 58.      

105.  False returns.

106.  Penalty for unlawfully loosing moorings.

107.  Wilfully sinking vessels.       

108.  Demanding improper amounts.

109.  Application of sections 98, 99 and 100 of Code.       

110.  Behaviour of employees of the Authority.               

Part XV: Miscellaneous Provisions

111.  Exemption of Authority land.        

112.  Rating.      

113.  Saving of powers under customs laws.

114.  Supply of information before the departure of ship for Nigeria.  

115.  Notice of permission to enter Nigerian ports, etc.    

116.  Prohibition of entry into

Nigeria of ships in certain cases.

117.  Alteration of allocation of ports, etc.      

118.  Publication of information on movement of ship, etc.       

119   Offences by master, etc. of ship.

120   Trial of offences.        

121.  Bye-laws made by the Authority to be approved by Minister.     

122.  Publication of bye-laws, etc.

123.  Existing ports deemed to be Federal ports.     

124.  Directives by the Minister.   

125.  Repeal of 1993 No.74 and savings, etc.

126.  Regulations.       

127.  Interpretation.   

128.  Citation.

Schedules 

Schedule 1 – Supplementary Provisions relating – to the Board, etc. 

Schedule 2 – Ports 

Schedule 3 – Assets vested in the Authority

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NIGERIAN PORTS AUTHORITY ACT

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[COMMENCEMENT]                      (10th May 1999)

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Part I: Establishment, etc. of the Nigerian Ports Authority and its Governing Board 

1.      Establishment of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

(1)    There is hereby established an authority to be known as the Nigerian Ports Authority (in this ACT referred to as “the Authority”).

(2)    The Authority—

(a)    shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal; and

(b)    may sue and be sued in its corporate name.

2.      Establishment and membership of the governing Board.

ALPHABETICAL INDEX TO THE LAWS OF NIGERIA (UPDATED TO 2018)