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The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, has said that the ongoing $1 billion port modernisation project will curb the N1 trillion Nigeria loses annually to obsolete port infrastructure, congestion, delays and inadequate automation.
Dantsoho, disclosed this during a one-day conference organised by the League of Maritime Editors (LOME), with the theme, “Lagos/Eastern: How to Reverse Existing Imbalance in Disproportionate Cargo Vessel Calls,” said that port modernisation project is designed to reverse the N1 trillion annual loss trend and improve the country’s competitiveness in regional shipping.
Dantsoho, who spoke through the General Manager, Strategic Planning, Engr Seyi Iyawe, disclosed that the decision by the NPA, under the policy direction of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, to embark on the modernisation of major ports, particularly Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, was driven by the need to address years of infrastructure decay and the absence of modern digital systems.
He said Nigeria’s economic dominance in West Africa was not being adequately reflected in its maritime sector, noting that although the country accounts for more than 60 per cent of West Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), only about 25 per cent of regional cargo passes through its seaports.
“Nigeria loses over N1 trillion yearly to a lack of port automation and modern infrastructure, as congestion, delays and administrative rigidities increase logistics costs and discourage shipping lines. Without these reforms, Nigeria’s 60 per cent West Africa GDP advantage remains uncaptured,” he said.
The NPA boss further disclosed that Nigeria lost more than 56 million metric tonnes of cargo between 2014 and 2022, while the country also forfeited more than N130 billion annually in Customs revenue as a result of inefficiencies in the port system.
He explained that the age and condition of some of Nigeria’s major ports had placed them at a disadvantage compared with competing regional ports.
According to him, Apapa Port, which was established nearly 100 years ago, has a draught of about 13 metres, while Tin Can Island Port, which is more than 50 years old, has a draught of approximately 11 metres.
By comparison, he noted that the Port of Lomé in Togo has a draught of about 16.6 metres and handled about two million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in 2024, while recording a cargo dwell time of about nine days.
He also cited Ghana’s Port of Tema, which has a draught of more than 16 metres and operates an automated scanning system, as another regional competitor benefiting from modern infrastructure and technology.
Dantsoho said cargo dwell time at Apapa and Tin Can Island ports had historically ranged between 18 and 21 days, representing about 475 per cent above the global benchmark of four days.
He added that port charges in Nigeria were between 30 and 40 per cent higher than those of regional competitors such as Lomé and Tema, making Nigerian ports less attractive to shipping lines and cargo owners.
Citing estimates by Dynamar, the NPA managing director said stakeholders in Apapa alone lost about $55 million daily to congestion-related costs, as shipping lines diverted vessels to competing ports in Lomé, Cotonou and Tema.
He noted that the lack of automation had also affected cargo clearance, with the Nigeria Customs Service previously relying on 100 per cent manual inspection at the two ports.
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The situation, he said, contributed to operational inefficiencies and affected the global competitiveness and ranking of Nigerian ports.
One of the consequences, he said, was the absence of Apapa Port from Lloyd’s List global top-100 port rankings since 2016.
However, Dantsoho said the ongoing port modernisation programme had begun to reverse the situation, citing recent improvements in port performance, cargo throughput and revenue generation.
He disclosed that the World Bank’s 2025 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), released in June 2026, ranked Apapa and Tin Can Island ports among the top 20 most improved seaports globally over the past five years.
According to him, Nigeria’s cargo throughput also grew by 24.8 per cent in 2025, describing the growth as the most significant in the country’s maritime history.
He added that NPA’s revenue increased from N894.86 billion in 2024 to N1.28 trillion in 2025, while the Authority is targeting N1.489 trillion in revenue in 2026.
Dantsoho further linked the improved performance to reforms and investments in port infrastructure, technology and operational efficiency, noting that Nigeria recorded a trade surplus of N7.54 trillion in the first quarter of 2026.
He said the launch of the NPA’s Port Community System (PCS) in the first quarter of 2026 had provided the foundation for the implementation of the National Single Window (NSW), creating a unified digital interface for stakeholders operating within the port ecosystem.
He also highlighted the Eto electronic truck call-up system as another major intervention that has helped reduce congestion around Apapa. According to him, the system is managing traffic on a road infrastructure originally designed to accommodate about 2,400 trucks daily but currently receives more than 7,000 trucks.
The NPA boss assured stakeholders that the Authority would continue to perform its strategic responsibilities under the landlord port model, including developing, owning and operating ports and harbours across Nigeria’s coastline, while providing safe navigable channels and Vessel Traffic Services (VTS).
He added that the NPA would continue to regulate terminal operations, concessionaires and port service providers, while driving infrastructure investment through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and direct capital programmes.
Dantsoho said the Authority would also sustain its maritime digitalisation programme through initiatives such as the National Single Window, Port Community System and Eto electronic truck call-up system, while strengthening safety, security and environmental compliance through implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.
He stressed that the modernisation programme was ultimately aimed at positioning Nigerian ports to compete effectively with regional counterparts, attract more cargo and vessel calls, reduce logistics costs and unlock the country’s enormous maritime and blue economy potential.
