Nigeria’s maritime sector has recorded a historic surge in activity in 2025, driven by increased cargo throughput, rising container traffic, and a growing export footprint.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) 2025 Operational Performance Report reveals that total cargo throughput surged by 24.8% to 129.3 million metric tons in 2025, with exports accounting for 39% of total cargo.
Highlights:
Cargo Throughput: 129.3 million metric tons, up from 103.6 million in 2024
Container Traffic: 2.1 million TEUs, up 25.7%
Export Containers : 3.1% growth
Transshipment Containers: 205.8% increase
Lekki Port: Leading port, handling 40.6% of total cargo
Vessel Traffic: 12% increase in ship calls, with larger vessels .
The growth is attributed to the Federal Government’s economic diversification initiatives, reducing dependence on crude oil and promoting non-oil sector exports.
The NPA Managing Director, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, expressed confidence that the next phase of growth will be driven by port modernization and the National Single Window system.
Would you like to know more about the impact of this growth on Nigeria’s economy or the country’s maritime development plans?
