Nigeria’s seaports recorded a remarkable turnaround in export performance in the third quarter of 2025, with export-laden containers surging by 1,085 percent and total cargo throughput climbing to 33.52 million metric tonnes, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has revealed.
The figures highlight a strengthening non-oil export pipeline and the growing capacity of Nigerian ports to handle larger vessels across the system.
Operational data released by the NPA showed overall cargo handled rose 16.2 percent from 28.84 million metric tonnes in Q3 2024, marking one of the authority’s strongest quarterly performances in recent years amid rising trade activity.
Container Operations Drive Growth
Container traffic provided the clearest signal of the shift. Total container throughput increased 18.9 percent, reaching 546,931 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in Q3 2025, up from 460,038 TEUs a year earlier. Import-laden containers rose 33.1 percent to 268,713 TEUs, while export-laden containers jumped dramatically to 69,039 TEUsfrom just 5,812 TEUs in the same period of 2024.
“The sharp rise in export containers also led to a 21.5 percent reduction in empty container traffic, signalling improved balance between imports and exports and stronger non-oil export activity,” the NPA said.
Vessel Activity Expands
Ship traffic mirrored the cargo boom. Vessel calls increased 8.4 percent to 1,074, from 991 in Q3 2024, while total gross registered tonnage jumped 18 percent to 42.64 million, reflecting increased confidence by shipping lines and the growing ability of Nigerian ports to accommodate larger ships.
Tincan Island Port accounted for 22.7 percent of vessel calls, followed closely by Apapa Port at 22.2 percent. Onne and Lekki Ports contributed 18.9 percent and 18.4 percent respectively, while Calabar Port recorded 2.1 percent.
By vessel size, Lekki Port led, receiving ships averaging 57,244 GRT, followed by Onne Port at 51,276 GRT. Apapa and Tincan Island Ports handled ships averaging 35,556 GRT and 34,400 GRT respectively, while Delta Ports recorded 18,677 GRT, highlighting the trend toward larger, deeper-draft vessels calling at Nigerian ports.
Cargo Volumes and Port Performance
Lekki Port emerged as the dominant driver, accounting for 46.8 percent of total cargo handled in Q3 2025. Onne Port contributed 17 percent, Apapa Port 15.1 percent, Tincan Island 10 percent, and Calabar the lowest share.
Liquid bulk remained the backbone of cargo, making up 53.8 percent of throughput. Containerized cargo followed at 26.6 percent, with dry bulk and general cargo accounting for 11.3 percent and 8.2 percent respectively—indicating that container growth is accelerating even as energy-linked shipments dominate tonnage.
Driving Factors Behind the Surge
Commenting on the performance, NPA Managing Director Abubakar Dantsoho attributed the results to the Federal Government’s export-focused reforms and rising investor confidence. He highlighted that port modernization, deployment of export processing terminals, and expansion of digital platforms—particularly the electronic truck call-up system—have reduced bottlenecks, improved turnaround times, and positioned Nigeria’s ports for a more strategic role in regional trade.
“The numbers reflect improving efficiency across all pilotage districts and signal a new era for Nigerian seaports as enablers of trade and economic growth,” Dantsoho said.
Babatunde Akinsola ✔
Godwin Okafor is the Publisher & CEO of Naija247news Media Group LLC, an independent investigative news platform delivering accurate, data-driven reporting on Nigerian and global politics, economy, finance, and business. Founded in October 2010, Naija247news specializes in developmental journalism, providing timely insights and analysis to readers across Nigeria and the diaspora.
View Archive →
