The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has delivered one of its strongest quarterly performances in recent years, recording a dramatic 1,085 per cent surge in export-laden containers as total cargo throughput rose to 33.52 million metric tonnes in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025.
Operational data released by the Authority on Monday showed that cargo handled during the period increased by 16.2 per cent, from 28.84 million metric tonnes recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2024, reflecting rising trade activity across Nigeria’s ports.
Container operations played a major role in the improved performance. Total container traffic grew by 18.9 per cent to 546,931 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in Q3 2025, compared with 460,038 TEUs in the same period of 2024. Import-laden containers rose by 33.1 per cent to 268,713 TEUs from 201,839 TEUs a year earlier, while export-laden containers surged sharply to 69,039 TEUs, from just 5,812 TEUs in Q3 2024.
The sharp rise in export-laden containers also led to a 21.5 per cent reduction in empty container traffic, signalling a more balanced trade flow and stronger non-oil export activity through the nation’s seaports.
Ship traffic equally recorded notable growth during the quarter. Vessel calls increased by 8.4 per cent to 1,074 ships, compared with 991 vessels in Q3 2024. Total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) rose by 18 per cent to 42.64 million, up from 36.13 million recorded a year earlier, indicating that Nigerian ports are increasingly handling larger vessels.
A breakdown of ship calls by port location showed that Tin Can Island Port recorded the highest share at 22.7 per cent, closely followed by Apapa Port at 22.2 per cent. Onne and Lekki Ports accounted for 18.9 per cent and 18.4 per cent, respectively, while Calabar Port recorded the lowest share at 2.1 per cent.
However, analysis by vessel size revealed that Lekki Port handled the largest ships, with an average GRT of 57,244, followed by Onne Port at 51,276 GRT. Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports received vessels with average GRTs of 35,556 and 34,400, respectively, while Delta Ports recorded the smallest average vessel size at 18,677 tonnes.
In terms of cargo throughput by port, Lekki Port emerged as the dominant growth driver, accounting for 46.8 per cent of total cargo handled in Q3 2025. Onne Port followed with 17 per cent, while Apapa Port contributed 15.1 per cent and Tin Can Island Port 10 per cent. Calabar Port recorded the lowest share during the period.
Further analysis by cargo type showed that liquid bulk accounted for the largest share of throughput at 53.8 per cent, followed by containerised cargo at 26.6 per cent. Dry Bulk and Other General Cargo contributed 11.3 per cent and 8.2 per cent, respectively.
Commenting on the performance, the Managing Director of the NPA, Abubakar Dantsoho, attributed the strong results to the Federal Government’s export-focused economic reforms and improved investor confidence. He noted that the figures reflect growing efficiency across all pilotage districts.
Dantsoho added that ongoing port modernisation, the deployment of export processing terminals and the expansion of digital platforms such as the electronic truck call-up system have helped reduce bottlenecks, improve turnaround time and position Nigeria’s ports for a more strategic role in regional and international trade.
Industry analysts say the Q3 2025 performance underscores the increasing contribution of the maritime sector to Nigeria’s non-oil export drive, as the nation’s ports align more closely with the broader economic diversification agenda.
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