Lekki port hits capacity as NPA seeks fresh investors for Nigeria's seaports

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has urged global investors to inject fresh capital into Nigeria's maritime sector, warning that the Lekki Deep Sea Port has exhausted its capacity barely three years after commissioning.

The Managing Director of the NPA, Abubakar Dantsoho, made the appeal at the 2026 World Ports Conference in London, where he presented investment opportunities in Nigeria's maritime industry and highlighted the Federal Government's port reforms.
Dantsoho said the rapid growth in cargo demand and the country's expanding population had created an urgent need for bigger and deeper seaports to accommodate larger vessels and support exports.

He disclosed that the Lekki Deep Sea Port, commissioned about three years ago, had already exhausted its capacity, underscoring the need for additional investment in port infrastructure.
According to him, Nigeria's population has increased from 45 million at independence in 1960 to more than 260 million, creating enormous demand for maritime services and associated infrastructure.

He identified population growth, urbanisation, rising cargo volumes and infrastructure deficits as opportunities for investors seeking to participate in Nigeria's maritime development.
The NPA boss said the government could not shoulder the financial burden of developing bigger and deeper seaports alone, urging private investors to take advantage of opportunities across Nigeria and the wider African continent.

“Nigeria has the highest population in Africa. So, the speed of growth is something that really should concern us,” he told investors.
He cited the Lekki Deep Sea Port as an example of the scale of investment required to develop modern maritime infrastructure.
“Only recently, about three years ago, we commissioned the first deep sea port in Nigeria, which is called Lekki Deep Sea Port, that was funded by the Chinese government in relationship with China Harbour, and the expenditure cost us $1.6bn to build Lekki in Lagos,” he said.

Dantsoho, who is also Vice-President of the International Association of Ports and Harbours and Chairman of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa, described Africa's untapped resources as a major attraction for port investment and development.

He said the Federal Government, under President Bola Tinubu, had introduced investor-friendly policies to create an enabling environment for private sector participation.
The NPA managing director also said Nigeria's exports had grown by 25 per cent in two years, adding that the country needed to address its infrastructure gaps to sustain growth and improve its competitiveness in international trade.

He stressed that private capital must be attracted and retained to deliver the scale of port development required across the continent.
The investment appeal comes amid government plans to reduce pressure on Lagos ports by modernising other facilities across the country.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, had said the government was prioritising the modernisation of the Onne, Warri and Calabar ports to improve cargo distribution and ease congestion in Lagos.
Oyetola disclosed that more than 70 per cent of cargo destined for other parts of the country still passed through Lagos ports.

The 2026 World Ports Conference, organised by the International Association of Ports and Harbours, held from November 3 to 6 at Olympia's International Convention Centre in London.
Held under the theme, 'Port Leadership for a Brave New World', the conference brought together port leaders and maritime industry stakeholders to discuss the future of global port operations and investment.

Although Dantsoho outlined Nigeria's investment opportunities, no specific new port projects, financing terms or investment commitments were announced at the conference.