Lekki Deep Seaport begins loading in West African countries

The deep port of Lekki of 1.5 billion dollars has started international transport of the load in the nearby countries of West Africa including Togo, Beninica Republic, Ghana and Ivory Coast, marking a significant milestone in its operations.

Deputy Operating Director, Daniel Odibe, announced the development on Thursday in Lagos, noting that the port aims to climb the operations from 287,000 equivalent units of twenty feet (teu) managed in 2024 at 500,000 teus by the end of 2025.

However, he revealed that the port currently operates only 20 percent of its full capacity of 1.2 million teu.

Odibe has attributed the reduction of load production to economic challenges, in particular the removal of subsidies for the fuel and amortization of the Naira, which led to a strong drop in imports in 2024.

He observed that commercial volumes began to bounce, with 222,000 teu already developed in the first half of 2025.

“Despite the setbacks last year, we are witnessing a constant recovery,” he said.

“Lekki Port currently manages from 10 to 12 monthly ships and transport activities in coastal countries and without outfit on the sea are increasing.”

He also highlighted the growing regional meaning of the port, stating that the delivery time of ships stands at 48 hours, while the trucks on average only 1 hour and 25 minutes inside the terminal.

Speaking of the vision of the port, the CEO Wang Qiang, represented by the Chief Operating Officer Young Qiang, made an account of the commitment of the port of Lekki towards international standards.

“We are pushing the boundaries and implementing advanced technology to guarantee operational excellence.

“Our goal is to position the port of Lekki as the main maritime hub in West Africa,” he said.

Lekki Port’s expansion in regional transport should increase the competitiveness of Nigeria in global trade and will strengthen its role in the western African maritime logistics network.

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