The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has reported a historic surge in operational performance for the third quarter of 2025, with data strongly linking the success to the economic direction of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration.
Record-Breaking Quarter for Nigerian Ports
According to the latest quarterly performance data released by the NPA, total cargo throughput rose dramatically to 33.52 million metric tonnes in Q3 2025. This represents a significant 16.2 per cent increase from the 28.84 million metric tonnes handled in the same period in 2024.
The most staggering figure, however, was the astronomical 1,085 per cent surge in export-laden containers, marking one of the authority's strongest quarterly performances in recent years. Container traffic overall saw robust growth, climbing by 18.9 per cent to 546,931 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) from 460,038 TEUs in Q3 2024.
Policy Direction Fuels Maritime Growth
NPA Managing Director, Abubakar Dantsoho, directly attributed this impressive performance to the federal government's strategic focus. He credited the export-focused economic reforms initiated by President Tinubu and the strategic leadership of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.
Dantsoho emphasized that the combined interventions from the presidency and the ministry have been instrumental in strengthening efficiency and boosting confidence across Nigeria's maritime sector. The Tinubu administration has consistently prioritized trade facilitation, port efficiency, and non-oil export growth as core pillars of its national economic diversification agenda.
Digital Integration and Future Projects
Beyond the quarterly numbers, the NPA is undertaking significant modernization efforts to sustain this growth trajectory. A key initiative is the establishment of Export Process Terminals (EPTs), designed to simplify and accelerate the export process for Nigerian goods.
The authority is also advancing the integration of its operations through a unified digital platform, a critical step toward implementing the National Single Window system. This digital shift aims to reduce bottlenecks and enhance transparency.
In a related development, Managing Director Abubakar Dantsoho was recently honoured for his role in this transformation. He received the NEAPS Award for Excellence in Maritime Infrastructure Modernisation and Global Competitiveness, a presidential award recognizing public officials for exceptional service and impact in the maritime sector. His tenure has seen increased global investment in port modernisation and a stronger Nigerian voice in international maritime organizations.
The reported data underscores a period of heightened trade activity across Nigeria's ports, suggesting that policy measures aimed at stimulating non-oil exports and improving the business environment are beginning to yield tangible results in the maritime logistics chain.
