Cargo throughput across Nigeria’s ports has reached 32.38 million tonnes, with vessel tonnage up 19.5 percent, according to the Nigerian Ports Authority’s latest operational figures reported by Vanguard.
The standout is Lekki Deep Sea Port, which now accounts for around 40.6 percent of national throughput, making it Nigeria’s busiest port by cargo handled. Port management says the facility is operating at close to half of its trade capacity, with container volumes growing month on month, and its design capacity of 2.7 million TEU annually leaves considerable headroom for growth.
Connectivity is improving alongside volume. CMA CGM has commenced a direct service linking Northern Europe to Lekki, cutting transit times to Nigeria, Ghana and Benin Republic to about fifteen days and giving Nigerian importers and exporters faster, more reliable access to European markets, as reported by The Guardian Nigeria.
What it means for shippers
Routing options are widening. For some cargo profiles, Lekki’s deep draft and newer handling systems now compete directly with Apapa and Tin Can on total landed cost and time, and the new Europe service changes the calculus for time-sensitive European trade lanes. Royal Purple Express advises weighing port choice shipment by shipment; our coordinators run that comparison as part of every quote.
Sources: Vanguard · The Guardian Nigeria
