Joyce Mmereole Okoli
As Lekki Deep Sea Port approaches the midpoint of its operational capacity, focus is shifting from rapid volume growth to the infrastructure and systems required to sustain long-term efficiency at Nigeria’s first deep seaport.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited, Mr. Wang Qiang, disclosed that the port is currently operating at close to 50 per cent of its designed capacity, driven by steady month-on-month increases in container throughput since September. He spoke during an end-of-year media parley with journalists in Lagos.
Wang said while the rising traffic reflects increasing confidence from shipping lines and cargo owners, the next phase of growth would depend largely on multimodal connectivity and full digital integration across the port ecosystem.
He noted that barge operations currently play a critical role in cargo evacuation, accounting for about 10 per cent of cargo movement from the port. According to him, barges remain a temporary but necessary solution in the absence of full rail connectivity, which he described as vital given the heavy concentration of industrial activities within the Lekki Free Zone and surrounding areas.
The Lekki Port boss also pointed to the ongoing Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road project as a development that would improve road access and help ease congestion. However, he stressed that rail infrastructure remains essential to deliver the scale and efficiency needed to support the port’s long-term growth ambitions.
Beyond physical connectivity, Wang identified digital alignment among port stakeholders as a major challenge. Although the terminal itself is fully automated, he said the full benefits of automation would not be realised until the Nigeria Customs Service and other government agencies fully adopt end-to-end digital processes.
He explained that continued reliance on physical cargo examinations and manual procedures contributes to delays and longer cargo dwell times. According to him, seamless integration between the Customs platform, the terminal operating system and port users is already captured in an agreed implementation roadmap.
“For automation to deliver real efficiency, everyone in the chain must be ready government agencies, customers and operators,” Wang said.
He added that with improved connectivity and optimised performance, Lekki Port could potentially double its throughput capacity without expanding its physical infrastructure.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Lekki Freeport Terminal (LFT), Captain Jedrzej Mierzewski, said that just two years after commencing operations, the terminal has emerged as the second-largest terminal in the Nigerian market.
“We are the fastest-growing terminal in the country, combining modern infrastructure, operational excellence and a clear ambition to become a leading transshipment hub for West Africa,” he said.
Mierzewski noted that the terminal’s growth is supporting the Nigerian economy by strengthening trade connectivity and helping to reduce the cost of foreign trade through efficient, reliable and competitive port services.
The media parley concluded with a guided tour of key facilities within the terminal, including the Customs examination area, scanners and ship-side operations.