Joyce Mmereole Okoli
The management of Lekki Deep Seaport has announced that it processed 222,000 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) of cargo between January and June 2025, signaling a strong mid-year performance as it targets 500,000 TEUs by year-end.
Speaking at a media parley in Lagos, Deputy Chief Operations Officer of Lekki Port, Mr. Daniel Odibe, described the figures as a sign of growing confidence in the port’s operational capacity. He noted that the port is gaining momentum as a key logistics hub in West Africa, despite earlier economic headwinds.
“We are picking up because the Naira is gradually stabilizing,” Odibe said. “In 2023, when we began operations, we processed just 54,289 TEUs. That figure has now grown to 222,000 in just six months of 2025, with a full-year target of 500,000 TEUs.”
The port’s rapid growth reflects a 394.83% increase from its 2023 throughput of 58,000 TEUs to a projected 287,000 in 2024. It currently operates at only 20% of its first-phase designed capacity of 1.2 million TEUs, with the potential to expand to 2.5 million TEUs upon full completion.
Odibe attributed the initial dip in volume to Nigeria’s challenging economic environment, particularly the removal of fuel subsidies and a sharp depreciation of the Naira, which led to a downturn in import volumes. However, he said trade volumes are gradually rebounding.
“Lekki Port now receives 10 to 12 vessels monthly. Our international transhipment operations have grown significantly, serving ports in Togo, Benin Republic, Ghana, Abidjan, and even landlocked countries,” he added.
Highlighting operational efficiency, Odibe said the port boasts a vessel turnaround time of 48 hours, a truck turnaround time of 1 hour and 25 minutes, and an average cargo dwell time of 16 days.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of Lekki Port, Mr. Yang Xixiong, represented by the Chief Operating Officer, Young Qiang, said the port remains committed to international best practices and continuous innovation.
“We continue to push the envelope and raise the bar to uphold our position as West Africa’s deepest sea port”.
“Our dedication to world-class standards is evident in the impact we are making across Africa’s maritime trade landscape,” he said.