Boom at Nigerian Ports as Cargo and Vessel Movements Surge

By Samuel Akpan

Nigeria’s seaports delivered a strong second-quarter performance in 2026, with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) reporting growth in cargo throughput, vessel traffic, container movements and vehicle traffic in its Q2 operational performance report.

Total cargo handled rose 12.3 percent to 35.74 million metric tonnes, from 31.82 million metric tonnes in Q2 2025. Inward cargo made up 56.8 percent of the volume, while outward cargo represented 41.9 percent.

Outward cargo grew 22 percent year-on-year, a sign of firmer exports. Transhipment added 488,364 metric tonnes, or roughly 1.4 percent of total volume.

Managing Director/CEO Abubakar Dantsoho said the rise “underscores the continued resilience of the nation’s seaports to facilitate trade and be more competitive.”

Ocean-going vessel calls increased 14.4 percent, from 1,050 in Q2 2025 to 1,201 in Q2 2026.

 Associated Gross Registered Tonnage climbed 22.2 percent, from 40.87 million tonnes to 49.95 million tonnes.

Service boat operations also expanded, with completed calls up 22.3 percent and Gross Registered Tonnage rising 62.4 percent.

Dantsoho said the authority’s “core priority for 2026” remained a major infrastructure overhaul, digital reforms and gains in operational efficiency.

Those reforms, he added, are “centred on the modernisation of Apapa and Tin Can Island ports.” Container traffic rose 11.3 percent, from 541,229 TEUs in Q2 2025 to 602,392 TEUs in Q2 2026.

Inward laden containers increased 6.3 percent and made up about 51.5 percent of total container traffic. Outward laden boxes slipped 3.9 percent, while empty container traffic climbed 13.9 percent.

Transhipment container traffic reached 29,038 TEUs, against no recorded movement in the same period last year.

 Dantsoho said the NPA was “supporting the Lekki and Badagry deep-sea projects to accommodate larger vessels.”

He also said the authority was revitalising Eastern ports “to ease congestion in Lagos,” as part of efforts to spread traffic and keep the national port system competitive.