Nigeria Handles 78% of West African Cargo but Loses Transshipment Business

Nigeria accounts for about 78% of cargo within the West and Central African sub-region but is losing transit and transshipment business to neighbouring countries, exposing gaps in port infrastructure, connectivity and logistics efficiency.

Lucky Amiwero, National President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), said Nigeria was not capturing sufficient economic value from its substantial regional cargo position because of inefficiencies across the port system.

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He identified Ghana, Togo, Benin Republic and Côte d’Ivoire among countries attracting cargo that could otherwise generate additional economic activity through Nigerian ports.

Port Efficiency Emerges as Key Competitiveness Issue

Amiwero called for a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s port system, covering the Lagos Port Complex, Tin Can Island Port, Lekki Deep Sea Port and Calabar Port.

He argued that Nigeria needs to examine how its ports operate as an interconnected system rather than simply increase the number of ports.

The NCMDLCA president also pointed to Ghana as an example of how port efficiency can influence cargo throughput, arguing that the country attracts significant cargo despite having fewer major ports. His assessment represents the position of the customs agents’ body rather than an independently verified comparison of the two countries' entire port systems.

Nigeria’s Ports Are Already Recording Higher Cargo Activity

The concerns come alongside evidence of increased activity across Nigerian ports.

The Nigerian Ports Authority reported that total cargo throughput reached 68.29 million metric tonnes in the first half of 2026, representing a 12.2% increase from 60.84 million metric tonnes in H1 2025.

Container traffic also rose 10.3% to 815,346 TEUs, while vessel calls increased 6.9% to 2,152 during the period.

Transshipment activity recorded particularly strong growth, increasing 169.5% year-on-year to 35,570 TEUs. However, transshipment still represented only about 4% of total container traffic during the period.

Lekki Port recorded a 48.4% increase in vessel calls and accounted for nearly 40% of national cargo throughput, with activity significantly supported by operations connected to the Dangote Refinery.

Infrastructure and Connectivity Remain Central to the Debate

The latest concerns highlight the distinction between having substantial cargo volumes and capturing the wider economic value generated by maritime logistics.

Ports require efficient road and rail connections, adequate cargo-handling infrastructure, reliable customs processes, storage facilities and competitive turnaround times to attract shipping and transshipment activity.

The NPA's H1 2026 figures show that ship turnaround remains an area requiring attention, with average time at berth increasing to 5.3 days compared with the previous year's performance.

For Nigeria, improvements in these areas could affect not only maritime revenues but also the wider logistics chain supporting manufacturers, importers, exporters and distributors.

Port Expansion Creates Opportunities for Logistics Property

The implications extend beyond the maritime sector into Nigeria's property market.

Greater port efficiency and higher cargo volumes can increase demand for warehouses, distribution centres, truck parks, container depots, cold-storage facilities and industrial estates around major logistics corridors.

Lagos is particularly important because the concentration of port infrastructure around Apapa, Tin Can and Lekki connects maritime trade with one of Nigeria's largest commercial and industrial markets.

A more integrated port and logistics system could therefore influence the location and demand for industrial and logistics real estate.

Lekki Corridor Gains Strategic Importance

Lekki's growing contribution to national cargo throughput strengthens the importance of the wider Lekki-Epe development corridor for industrial and logistics investment.

The area already combines deep-sea port infrastructure with major industrial activity, including the Dangote Refinery. The NPA attributed 76% of cargo traffic recorded at Lekki Port during H1 2026 to the refinery.

As maritime and industrial activity expands, demand for supporting property infrastructure could also increase, particularly for warehousing, distribution, worker accommodation and other commercial facilities.

This makes port efficiency increasingly relevant to the development of surrounding property markets rather than a standalone maritime issue.

Transshipment Gains Could Strengthen Nigeria’s Logistics Economy

Capturing a larger share of regional transshipment could deepen Nigeria's logistics ecosystem by creating additional demand for cargo handling, storage, freight forwarding, transportation and related services.

It could also strengthen the business case for investment in logistics parks and industrial property close to ports and major transport corridors.

However, achieving these gains would depend on addressing the operational and infrastructure constraints identified by industry stakeholders rather than relying solely on Nigeria's existing cargo volumes.

Need for Integrated Port Planning

Amiwero's proposal for a review involving maritime experts comes as Nigeria's port network continues to evolve, particularly with the growing role of Lekki Deep Sea Port.

The proposed review would examine the operations and infrastructure of major ports and consider how the system could be redesigned to improve competitiveness and capture more transit and transshipment activity.

For the property and infrastructure sectors, an integrated approach could provide greater clarity on where future logistics infrastructure, industrial developments and supporting services should be concentrated.

Outlook

Nigeria's reported 78% share of West and Central African cargo underscores the scale of the country's position in regional maritime trade, but industry stakeholders argue that cargo volumes alone do not guarantee maximum economic benefits.

With national cargo throughput and transshipment activity already increasing, improving port efficiency, connectivity and supporting infrastructure could determine how much additional value Nigeria captures from regional trade.

For Nigeria's housing, industrial and logistics property markets, the development of more efficient maritime corridors could also reshape demand for warehouses, industrial estates and other commercial real estate around the country's major ports.

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