By Rosemary Nwanpka
Nigeria’s maritime sector recorded strong growth in the first quarter of 2026 as the Nigerian Ports Authority posted a 19.5 per cent increase in vessel tonnage, while cargo throughput climbed to 32.38 million metric tons.
According to the NPA’s Q1 2026 Operational Performance Review, vessel traffic rose to 46.75 million Gross Registered Tonnage, reflecting increased deployment of larger-capacity vessels across Nigerian ports.
The Authority attributed the improvement to enhanced port efficiency, expanding trade activities and the operational impact of the Lekki Deep Sea Port.
The report showed that total cargo throughput, excluding crude oil terminals, increased by 11.6 per cent year-on-year from 29.02 million metric tons recorded in the first quarter of 2025 to 32.38 million metric tons in the same period of 2026.
The NPA said the performance was driven by rising import and export activities, improved productivity and sustained demand for port services.
Further analysis revealed that outward cargo traffic grew by 23.7 per cent to 14.13 million metric tons during the review period, indicating stronger export activities and improved participation in regional and global supply chains.
Outward laden container traffic also recorded significant growth, rising by 67.6 per cent from 61,332 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units in Q1 2025 to 102,803 TEUs in Q1 2026.
Vehicle traffic handled at the ports increased by 67 per cent, with total vehicle units rising from 35,262 units in the corresponding period of 2025 to 58,870 units.
The report further highlighted an 83.1 per cent increase in transshipment container activity, reinforcing Nigeria’s growing importance in regional maritime trade and logistics operations.
Speaking at a recent industry forum in Lagos, Managing Director of the NPA, Abubakar Dantsoho, said Nigeria’s port system must move beyond traditional operational limitations to remain competitive under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
He noted that the nation’s marine resources and port infrastructure could become major drivers of economic growth if properly harnessed.
Dantsoho also stressed that efficiency, innovation, speed and reliability would determine the countries that dominate cargo movement across Africa in the coming years.
The latest performance figures come amid ongoing reforms in the maritime sector under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu aimed at improving infrastructure, digitalisation and institutional efficiency.
Part of the reforms includes the ongoing rehabilitation of the Lagos Port Complex and Tin Can Island Port following the signing of a $1 billion infrastructure upgrade agreement targeted at boosting port competitiveness.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, had also disclosed that procurement processes were ongoing for the upgrade of Warri, Port Harcourt, Onne and Calabar ports to ensure balanced development across the country’s port system.
The Federal Government is equally advancing the deployment of the Port Community System and the National Single Window platform to improve cargo clearance, reduce delays and enhance transparency within the maritime sector.
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