Ports Reform Yields Fruit as Nigeria Records 12.3% Rise in Cargo Throughput amid Export Surge

In a decisive development for Nigeria's maritime and trade landscape, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has reported a significant 12.3% expansion in cargo throughput for the second quarter of 2026. According to the NPA’s newly released Operational Performance Report, cargo volumes surged from 31,825,592 metric tonnes in Q2 2025 to 35,740,362 metric tonnes in the corresponding period of 2026. This operational uptick is widely seen as a direct outcome of aggressive policy interventions designed to streamline clearing processes and modernize harbor infrastructure.

A granular breakdown of the performance indicators reveals a broad-based recovery across several key metrics. Ocean-going vessel arrivals increased by 14.4%, climbing to 1,201 ships compared to 1,050 in the previous year. Similarly, the Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) of these vessels saw an impressive 22.2% growth, rising to 49.95 million tonnes. These figures point to a growing preference by global shipping lines for Nigerian channels, driven by improved port utilization and enhanced safety protocols.

Container traffic followed a similar trajectory, expanding by 11.3% to reach 602,392 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs). Crucially, transshipment container traffic recorded 29,038 TEUs, marking a stark contrast to the zero-activity recorded in Q2 2025. This emerging segment signals that Nigeria is gradually positioning itself as a transit corridor for landlocked neighboring countries and regional trade partners.

Reacting to the stellar performance, the Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, emphasized the resilience of the nation's maritime infrastructure. "The increase in cargo volumes and ship calls underscores the continued resilience of our seaports to facilitate trade and remain globally competitive," Dantsoho stated, attributing the momentum to sustained structural reforms initiated by the federal government.