The Nigerian Ports Authority says it handled 2,300 ships across Nigerian ports in the first half of 2026, representing a 6.9 per cent increase over 2,152 ships in H1 2025.


NPA’s managing director, Abubakar Dantsoho, disclosed this on Thursday at the Nigerian Ports Consultative Council quarterly meeting in Lagos.


Mr Dantsoho said gross registered tonnage rose 20.9 per cent to 96.6 million, up from 79.9 million in H1 2025, driven largely by improved performance at Lekki and Onne ports.


Mr Dantsoho said total cargo throughput rose to 68.2 million metric tonnes from 60.8 million tonnes during the corresponding period in 2025. He said the figure represented a 12.2 per cent year-on-year increase across all port locations.


“Inward cargo stood at 38.4 million tonnes, compared with 36.3 million tonnes in H1 2025. Outward cargo grew by 23.5 per cent to 29.2 million tonnes during the period under review,” he stated.


Mr Dantsoho said Lekki Port handled nearly 40 per cent of national cargo throughput, with Dangote Refinery operations accounting for over 76 per cent of its cargo traffic. He said Onne Port contributed 22.7 per cent, supported by LNG exports, while Calabar and Rivers ports jointly accounted for slightly above four per cent.


The NPA boss said container traffic increased 10.3 per cent to 815,236 twenty-foot equivalent units, from 739,142 TEUs in H1 2025. He said imports accounted for 546,755 TEUs, representing 67 per cent of total container traffic during the period.


“Container exports stood at 203,980 TEUs, representing 25 per cent, while transhipment surged 169.5 per cent to 35,574 TEUs,” he said.


Mr Dantsoho noted that despite the transhipment growth, the segment accounted for only four per cent of total container throughput. He said 103,375 vehicles were handled in H1 2026, a 42.5 per cent increase from 72,568 units in H1 2025, and attributed the growth largely to PTML transhipment operations at Tin Can Island Port.


Mr Dantsoho, however, said vessel turnaround time worsened by six per cent to 5.3 days from five days, while overall berth occupancy increased 3.1 per cent to 36.1 per cent. He described Dangote Refinery as a “game changer”, accounting for about 40 per cent of cargo traffic, and stressed the need for infrastructure investment ahead of its planned expansion.


He said the planned expansion to 1.4 million barrels per day required infrastructure investment and a balanced tariff policy nationwide and attributed increased container traffic to industrial activities and relative economic stability, describing Onne Port’s growth as positive for balanced port utilisation.


He said the four per cent transhipment contribution and absence of transit traffic showed the sector’s dependence on captive cargo. According to him, developing transit cargo to landlocked neighbouring countries is essential to achieving Nigeria’s ambition of becoming a regional maritime hub.

(NAN)