Joyce Mmereole Okoli
The Lekki Port has solidified its position as Nigeria’s most dominant and influential seaport, driving unprecedented growth in the nation’s maritime sector, according to the 2025 Operational Performance Report, released by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
As Nigeria pursues bold port modernization reforms and prepares to fully implement the National Single Window system, Lekki Port has emerged as the clear centerpiece of this transformation, handling the largest share of national cargo throughput, receiving the biggest vessels calling West Africa, and rapidly positioning the country as a competitive regional trade hub.
The report shows that Lekki Port accounted for 40.6 percent of Nigeria’s total cargo throughput in 2025, far ahead of other major ports. With Nigeria recording a historic 24.8 percent surge in total cargo volumes (rising from 103.6 million metric tons in 2024 to 129.3 million metric tons in 2025), Lekki Port’s dominance underscores its role as the engine of the country’s maritime resurgence.
In 2025, Lekki Port consistently attracted the largest vessels calling Nigerian waters, with an average Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) of 55,712 the highest in the country. This places the port firmly in the league of global deep-sea logistics hubs and signals Nigeria’s growing capability to handle bigger, more valuable cargoes.
This shift also marks a structural evolution in vessel traffic: although Tincan Island Port recorded more ship calls overall, Lekki and Onne Port now dominate in receiving heavyweight vessels, indicating where the future of Nigerian shipping is headed.
Nigeria’s container traffic surged by 25.7 percent to over 2.1 million TEUs, and Lekki Port was central to this rise.
Transshipment, one of the strongest indicators of a port’s global relevance grew by an extraordinary 205.8 percent, positioning Lekki Port as a key redistribution center for West and Central Africa. International shipping lines, long in search of a reliable regional hub, increasingly view Lekki as the preferred gateway.
NPA Managing Director Abubakar Dantsoho said the figures represent “one of the most significant annual increases in Nigeria’s maritime history,” crediting Lekki Port’s high-capacity terminals, deep berths, and modern cargo-handling facilities as major accelerators of national throughput.
Export volumes also climbed steadily, accounting for 39 percent of total cargo throughput in 2025—a development analysts say reflects the success of government policies aimed at expanding non-oil exports.
With the Federal Government’s approval of an ambitious port modernization programme and impending rollout of the National Single Window, industry stakeholders say Lekki Port is uniquely positioned to anchor Nigeria’s next phase of maritime expansion.
The port’s automation standards, deep-water draft, and integrated logistics ecosystem already mirror global best practices—making it the natural model for the modernization of other Nigerian ports.
Analysts observe that Lekki Port’s performance in 2025 marks a turning point for Nigeria’s trade competitiveness.
“This is a new maritime era,” they say. “Lekki Port is not only moving the highest volumes it is redefining Nigeria’s place in global shipping.”