Lekki port leads as total cargo throughput increases by 24.8% to 129.3m tonnes in 2025 

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has disclosed that seaports recorded a sharp increase in cargo activity in 2025, as   Lekki port leads others in 24.8 per cent to 129.3 million metric tonnes total throughput last year. 

This is contained in the 2025 operational performance report released by the NPA on Wednesday.According to the report, the 2025 figure represents an increase from 103.6 million metric tonnes recorded in 2024. The authority described the record as one of the “most significant annual growth rates in recent maritime history”.

While imports continued to account for the larger share of cargo traffic, the NPA said exports made up 39 per cent of total throughput, compared to 59.2 per cent for inward cargo.

The report added that transshipment contributed 1.8 per cent.

“Containerized cargo, a key indicator of export trade activity, grew significantly. Total container traffic increased by 25.7 per cent, surpassing 2.1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs),” NPA said.

“Of this, export containers grew by 3.1 per cent, while import-laden containers surged by 32.8 per cent.”

The report also said the ports recorded a 205.8 per cent increase in transshipment containers.

Providing further breakdown, the NPA said Lekki port, as the leading port by cargo throughput, accounted for 40.6 per cent of total volumes.

The agency said Onne Port followed with 19.1 per cent, while Apapa Port handled 16.7 per cent.

“In addition to volume, Lekki Port attracted the largest vessels, with an average Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) of 55,712, slightly higher than Onne Port at 53,022 GRT,” the report said.

“Apapa and Tin Can Island Port received ships averaging 33,251 GRT and 36,909 GRT, respectively, while Delta Ports handled vessels averaging 17,414 GRT.”

Although Tin Can Island Port accounted for the highest frequency of ship arrivals at 22.7 percent of total ship calls, the report noted a shift toward Lekki and Onne ports receiving larger vessels.

NPA said overall ship calls increased by nearly 12 percent to 4,477 vessels in 2025.

By cargo type, liquid bulk including petroleum products and chemicals remained dominant at 54.7 percent of total throughput, while containerised cargo accounted for 24 percent.

The authority said the surge in transshipment volumes positions Nigeria as a growing regional logistics hub, attracting more international shipping lines and boosting revenue potential.

In the report, Abubakar Dantsoho, managing director (MD) of the NPA, said the performance strengthens Nigeria’s position as a competitive player in regional and global trade.

Looking ahead, Dantsoho said the next phase of growth would be driven by the federal government’s port modernisation programme and the implementation of the national single window system.

According to the report, modernisation initiative will focus on rehabilitating ageing infrastructure, deepening berths, expanding cargo-handling capacity, and deploying digital solutions.

This, the NPA said, is aimed at reducing vessel turnaround time and improving operational efficiency across the country’s port network.