The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has announced a historic surge in export activity for the third quarter of 2025, with export-laden containers skyrocketing by an astonishing 1,085 per cent. This remarkable growth was part of a broader increase in total cargo throughput, which climbed to 33.52 million metric tonnes (MT) during the period.
Record-Breaking Cargo and Container Traffic
According to operational data released by the Authority on December 15, 2025, the volume of cargo handled across Nigeria's ports saw a significant 16.2 per cent rise compared to the same quarter in 2024, which recorded 28.84 million MT. This upward trend is a clear indicator of heightened trade activity nationwide.
The performance in container operations was particularly strong. Total container traffic measured in Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) grew by 18.9 per cent to reach 546,931 TEUs in Q3 2025, up from 460,038 TEUs the previous year. A detailed look reveals that import-laden containers increased by 33.1 per cent to 268,713 TEUs. However, the standout figure was the explosive growth in export-laden containers, which jumped to 69,039 TEUs from a mere 5,812 TEUs in Q3 2024.
This dramatic rise in exports led to a positive 21.5 per cent reduction in empty container traffic, signalling a healthier balance between imports and exports and pointing to stronger non-oil export performance.
Port Performance and Vessel Trends
Ship traffic also showed notable gains. The number of vessel calls increased by 8.4 per cent to 1,074 ships, while the total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) jumped by 18 per cent to 42.64 million. This indicates that Nigerian ports are successfully attracting and handling larger vessels.
A port-by-port analysis of ship calls showed Tin Can Island Port leading with 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, with Calabar Port contributing the least at 2.1 per cent.
However, when analysing the size of vessels, Lekki Port emerged as the leader, receiving the largest ships with an average GRT of 57,244. Onne Port followed with an average of 51,276 GRT. In terms of cargo throughput, Lekki Port was the dominant driver, accounting for a massive 46.8 per cent of all cargo handled in Q3 2025.
Cargo Composition and Leadership Insight
Breaking down the cargo by type reveals that Liquid Bulk constituted the largest share at 53.8 per cent. Containerised cargo was the second largest contributor at 26.6 per cent, while Dry Bulk and Other General Cargo made up 11.3 per cent and 8.2 per cent respectively.
Commenting on the impressive results, NPA Managing Director, Abubakar Dantsoho, credited the Federal Government's export-focused economic reforms and improved investor confidence for the strong performance. He noted that the figures reflect growing efficiency across all pilotage districts.
"Ongoing port modernisation, the deployment of export processing terminals, and the expansion of digital systems like the electronic truck call-up platform have been instrumental," Dantsoho stated. "These initiatives are reducing bottlenecks, improving turnaround time, and positioning Nigeria's ports for a more strategic role in regional trade."
Industry analysts view the Q3 2025 performance as a strong validation of the maritime sector's increasing contribution to Nigeria's non-oil export drive. The data suggests the ports are aligning effectively with the country's broader economic diversification agenda, marking a significant step towards a more balanced and resilient national economy.
