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Lekki Deep Sea Port has reached almost half of its designed operational capacity, with steady month-on-month growth in container throughput since September, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited, Mr. Wang Qiang, has said.
Speaking during an end-of-the-year media parley with journalists on Tuesday, Wang disclosed that the port is now operating at close to 50 percent capacity, reflecting increasing confidence by shipping lines and cargo owners in Nigeria’s first deep seaport.
“We already reached 50 per cent of our capacity now – almost 50 per cent of the port capacity,” he said, noting consistent improvement in the number of twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) handled monthly.
He, however, emphasized that efficient multimodal connectivity remains critical to sustaining and accelerating growth at the port, revealing that barge operations have become an important evacuation channel and currently account for about 10 per cent of cargo movement from the port.
Wang opined that the ongoing Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road project would help ease congestion and improve access to the port but stressed that rail connectivity remains essential, particularly given the scale of industrial activities emerging within the Lekki corridor.
“I believe the train option is something the government is concerned about, and with the level of industrial activities in this region, we expect that it will be provided,” he said.
While reiterating that Lekki Port is a fully automated terminal, Wang asserted that delays may persist until all stakeholders, including government agencies, fully align with end-to-end digital processes.
He explained that Customs procedures, particularly physical cargo examinations, and other port services must be fully digitalised to significantly reduce cargo dwell time.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Lekki Freeport Terminal (LFT), Capt. Jedrzej Mierzewski, stated that after only two years of operations, LFT has already become the number two terminal in the Nigerian market.
His words: “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.
“Our growth supports the Nigerian economy by strengthening trade connectivity and helping to reduce the cost of foreign trade through efficient, reliable, and competitive port services.
“For automation to work efficiently, all players must be ready – customers, government and every stakeholder. Only then can we have a fantastic system.”
He also stressed that improved connectivity would allow the port to effectively double capacity through performance optimisation without expanding its physical footprint.
Commenting on the new tax regime expected to take effect in 2026, he urged the government to adopt a simplified tax framework that supports ease of doing business. He cited Germany and other countries where goods are cleared from ports with a 30-day window allowed for value added tax (VAT) remittance.
The media tour included visits to the Customs examination area, scanners and shipside operations within the terminal
News Diet recalls that between Q1 and Q3 2025, Lekki Port handled an estimated N13.46 trillion in total trade value, combining imports and exports, making it Nigeria’s second-largest port by trade value. This figure places it well ahead of Tin Can Island Port’s N9.31 trillion and almost double the N6.76 trillion recorded at Port Harcourt (Onne).
