Nigeria’s maritime sector is flexing its muscles! The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has just dropped some jaw-dropping numbers, showing a massive 1,085% surge in export-laden containers. This incredible jump means total cargo throughput has smashed through the 33.5 million metric tonnes mark in the third quarter of 2025. It’s a clear sign that Nigeria’s trade is on fire! This report dives deep into what’s making our ports so busy, from more ships coming in to the types of cargo making waves.
- Massive 1,085% spike in export containers recorded by NPA.
- Total cargo throughput reached an impressive 33.52 million metric tonnes in Q3 2025.
- Overall cargo handled jumped by 16.2% compared to the previous year.
- Container traffic saw a significant 18.9% increase.
- Ship calls are up, and the vessels are getting bigger!
- Lekki Port is a major growth driver, alongside Onne and Apapa.
- Government reforms and modernization are credited for this stellar performance.
Nigeria’s Ports: A New Era of Growth Dawns
Hold onto your hats, folks! The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has officially announced a breathtaking 1,085 percent increase in export-loaded containers. This is not a typo, you read that right! The total cargo throughput, which is basically all the goods moving through our ports, has soared to a whopping 33.52 million metric tonnes in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025. This is a massive leap from the 28.84 million metric tonnes we saw in the same period last year. It’s clear that Nigeria’s trade isn’t just growing; it’s exploding!
Container Traffic: The Real MVPs
The real heroes of this story are our containers. Total container traffic climbed a solid 18.9 percent, hitting 546,931 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs). This is way up from the 460,038 TEUs in Q3 2024. Even more exciting, import-laden containers rose by a healthy 33.1 percent to 268,713 TEUs. But the star of the show is the export-laden containers, which surged from a mere 5,812 TEUs in 2024 to a colossal 69,039 TEUs in Q3 2025. This huge jump in exports means fewer empty containers are floating around, showing a much better balance between what we’re bringing in and what we’re sending out. This is fantastic news for our non-oil exports!
More Ships, Bigger Ships, Better Ports
It’s not just containers; the ships are flocking to Nigeria too! We saw an 8.4 percent increase in vessel calls, with 1,074 ships docking compared to 991 in the previous year. And guess what? The total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) jumped by a massive 18 percent to 42.64 million. This means bigger ships are choosing our ports, a sure sign of growing confidence and capacity.
Where Are All the Ships Going?
Let’s break down which ports are getting the most action:
| Port | Percentage of Ship Calls |
|---|---|
| Tin Can Port | 22.7% |
| Apapa Port | 22.2% |
| Onne Port | 18.9% |
| Lekki Port | 18.4% |
| Calabar Port | 2.1% |
Lekki Port, despite being relatively new, is making waves by attracting the largest ships, with an average GRT of 57,244! Onne Port isn’t far behind. Even though Apapa and Tin Can Island ports handle a lot of ships, they are seeing slightly smaller vessels on average.
Lekki Port: The New Kingpin of Cargo?
When it comes to the sheer volume of cargo, Lekki Port is the undeniable star, handling an incredible 46.8 percent of all cargo in Q3 2025. Onne Port follows with 17 percent, and Apapa Port with 15.1 percent. This shows a significant shift and growth in cargo handling capacity across our ports.
Cargo Breakdown: What’s Moving?
A look at the types of cargo reveals some interesting trends:
- Liquid Bulk: Still the largest segment, making up 53.8 percent of all cargo. Think petroleum products and other liquids.
- Containerised Cargo: This is where the exciting growth is happening, accounting for 26.6 percent. This includes all those export-laden containers!
- Dry Bulk: Such as grains and minerals, contributing 11.3 percent.
- Other General Cargo: Making up the remaining 8.2 percent.
What’s Fuelling This Nigerian Port Powerhouse?
The NPA Managing Director, Abubakar Dantsoho, is singing the praises of the Federal Government’s export-focused economic reforms. He rightly points out that these reforms, along with increased investor confidence, are major drivers of this success. The modernization of our ports, the introduction of export processing terminals, and the smart use of digital systems like the electronic truck call-up platform are smoothing out the wrinkles, reducing waiting times, and making Nigeria’s ports more efficient than ever. It’s a coordinated effort that’s paying off big time!
Industry experts are nodding in agreement. They see this Q3 performance as a testament to the growing importance of the maritime sector in Nigeria’s push to diversify its economy away from oil. Our ports are no longer just transit points; they are becoming vital hubs for regional trade and economic growth. This is a truly exciting time for Nigeria’s economy!