The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) handled 2,300 ships across the country’s ports in the first half of 2026, representing a 6.9 per cent increase over the 2,152 ships recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.
The NPA Managing Director, Abubakar Dantsoho, disclosed this on Thursday at the quarterly meeting of the Nigerian Ports Consultative Council (NPCC) in Lagos.
The meeting, themed, “Simplifying Cross-Border Trade and Enhancing Ease of Doing Business at Our Ports,” brought together stakeholders to discuss measures for improving port efficiency and strengthening Nigeria’s maritime sector.
Represented by the NPA Principal Manager, Statistics, Mrs Okenwa Igwebuike, Dantsoho said the Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) of vessels handled rose by 20.9 per cent to 96.6 million, compared with 79.9 million in the first half of 2025.
He attributed the increase largely to improved activities at Lekki and Onne ports.
According to him, total cargo throughput across the nation’s ports rose from 60.8 million metric tonnes in H1 2025 to 68.2 million tonnes during the period under review, representing a 12.2 per cent year-on-year growth.
He said inward cargo increased to 38.4 million tonnes from 36.3 million tonnes, while outward cargo rose by 23.5 per cent to 29.2 million tonnes.
The NPA boss said Lekki Port accounted for nearly 40 per cent of national cargo throughput, with operations linked to the Dangote Refinery contributing more than 76 per cent of the port’s cargo traffic.
Onne Port contributed 22.7 per cent, supported by liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, while Calabar and Rivers ports jointly accounted for slightly above four per cent.
Dantsoho also disclosed that container traffic increased by 10.3 per cent to 815,236 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), from 739,142 TEUs recorded in H1 2025.
Imports accounted for 546,755 TEUs, representing 67 per cent of total container traffic, while container exports stood at 203,980 TEUs, or 25 per cent.
He said transshipment traffic surged by 169.5 per cent to 35,574 TEUs, although the segment still accounted for only four per cent of total container throughput.
Vehicle handling also recorded significant growth during the period, rising by 42.5 per cent to 103,375 units from 72,568 units in the corresponding period of 2025.
The increase was attributed largely to transshipment operations at the Ports and Terminals Multiservices Limited (PTML) facility at Tin Can Island Port.
Despite the growth in port activity, Dantsoho said vessel turnaround time increased by six per cent from five days to 5.3 days, while overall berth occupancy rose by 3.1 per cent to 36.1 per cent.
He described the Dangote Refinery as a “game changer” for port operations, noting that its planned expansion to 1.4 million barrels per day would require additional infrastructure investment and a balanced tariff policy across the country.
Dantsoho linked the rise in container traffic to increased industrial activities and relative economic stability, while describing the performance of Onne Port as a positive development for more balanced utilisation of Nigeria’s ports.
He, however, expressed concern over the limited contribution of transshipment and the absence of transit cargo, saying these highlighted the sector’s continued dependence on captive cargo.
According to him, developing transit cargo to landlocked neighbouring countries is essential for Nigeria to achieve its ambition of becoming a regional maritime hub.
The NPA managing director identified inadequate funding as a major challenge affecting the Authority’s ability to respond promptly to operational emergencies.
He said the Federal Government’s 50 per cent automatic deduction from government-owned enterprises was limiting the NPA’s financial capacity.
Dantsoho therefore called for stakeholders’ support in engaging the Federal Government on an 80:20 revenue-sharing arrangement in favour of the NPA.
He also stressed the need for continued collaboration among stakeholders to support port reconstruction and modernisation projects aimed at improving operational efficiency.
Meanwhile, stakeholders at the meeting highlighted digitalisation, improved cargo evacuation and stronger inter-agency cooperation as measures for enhancing the ease of doing business at the ports.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr Kayode Opeifa, said freight operations at Ijora, Moniya and Papalanto were nearing completion.
He said the projects would improve cargo evacuation from the ports and strengthen connections with inland dry ports.
Opeifa added that the NRC was expanding standard and narrow-gauge rail services linking Apapa, Tin Can Island and Lekki ports to inland locations.
According to him, increased rail freight operations would reduce the number of trucks on the Apapa-Oshodi corridor, ease congestion and lower logistics costs.
The developments, he said, would support more efficient cargo movement and improve the competitiveness of Nigeria’s port system.
