Lekki Freeport Terminal, the container operator at Nigeria’s deepest seaport, is emerging as a key logistics hub in West Africa, achieving a 40 percent year-on-year increase in throughput as it repositions the country in global trade flows.
In 2024, its first full year of operation, the terminal handled 238,000 TEUs, according to CMA Terminals, a unit of global shipping giant CMA CGM.
The port’s performance underscores its rising role in easing trade bottlenecks and improving Nigeria’s export capacity, long constrained by aging infrastructure and chronic congestion at legacy ports like Apapa and Tin Can Island.
Lekki Freeport’s edge lies in automation. The terminal operates fully digitized processes from ship berthing to cargo release. With twin-lift cranes, a 21-container-wide reach, and FS 6000 scanners capable of clearing containers in minutes, it ensures rapid vessel turnaround and container inspection.
Read also: Lekki Port eyes increased trade as FG unveils dredging plans
Truck turnaround time averages just 1.1 hours, enabled by a vehicle booking system that uses RFID and biometrics to streamline access and reduce wait times. This is a sharp contrast to the often days-long delays that plague other Nigerian ports.
In April 2025, the terminal hit a milestone of 6,885 TEUs in monthly export volume, the highest since operations began, and a 20 percent gap behind Apapa, narrowing steadily.
Weekly calls from global carriers including Maersk Line, COSCO, ONE, ZIM/GSL, and CMA CGM further reinforce the terminal’s global connectivity, drawing increased foreign direct investment and positioning it as a preferred entry point for West African trade.
While Lekki has maintained congestion-free operations at the quay and yard, cargo evacuation remains a work in progress. The federal government is accelerating infrastructure projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and the 25-kilometre 7th Axial Road, expected to cut truck transit time from the current 4.5 hours and improve access to the A121 Lagos-Benin expressway.
Authorities are also weighing a rail link to the national network to facilitate inland container movement and support trade with landlocked neighbors like Niger and Chad.
Lekki Port’s long-term strategy aligns with Nigeria’s goal of becoming a regional export powerhouse. Its barging services already support inland container movement, and planned connectivity upgrades may solidify its position as a trade enabler for ECOWAS.
With deep-water capacity, modern equipment, and a focus on operational efficiency, Lekki Freeport Terminal is setting new standards for port logistics in Nigeria—offering a rare success story in a sector often hampered by inefficiencies
Leave a Comment