Lagos: On the eastern edge of Lagos State, where the Atlantic wind sweeps across the Ibeju-Lekki peninsula, a quiet revolution is unfolding. The Lekki Deep Sea Port, Nigeria’s first deep-water harbour, has evolved into a strategic maritime gateway, reshaping the logistics landscape of West Africa and opening new corridors for trade and industrial ambition across the continent.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, for decades, the region watched a large portion of Nigeria’s maritime fortunes drain towards neighbouring ports in Lom©, Tema, and Abidjan. The lack of a deep draft has posed a challenge in accommodating modern ships; Lekki is rewriting that story. With a 16.5-metre draft, the deepest in West Africa, the port is among the few in the region capable of welcoming the world’s largest container vessels. The port has a 9.6km approach channel, 680m quay length, with a breakwater of 2km for the Phase 1 operations. Upon expansion to Phase 2, the quay way will be extended to 1,500m and depth will be 19.5m.
Lekki Freeport Terminal, a subsidiary of the global CMA CGM, operates the container terminal under a sub-concession arrangement. The dry bulk and liquid terminal operations are in view. From January to August, the port recorded 88,432 TEU imports, 123,013 TEU exports, 62,581 TEU transshipment moves, 16,925 TEU restows, and 34,710 TEU barge movements. Transshipment already represents 38 per cent of total activity, signalling the port’s growing hub status.
The landmark arrival of CMA CGM Rimbaud on June 29, 2023, marked Nigeria’s first official transshipment call. Lekki Port’s technological design integrates automated gates, OCR systems, ship-to-shore cranes, rubber-tyred gantry cranes, FS 6000 drive-through scanners, truck parks, and advanced control systems. Its berth productivity averages 18 to 20 moves per hour, with truck turnaround time at approximately 45 minutes and container dwell time at 12 to 13 days.
Speaking during a recent round table with newsmen and stakeholders, Mr Wang Qiang, Managing Director of Lekki Port, said that the rise of Lekki was altering the maritime map of Africa. “Lekki Port is becoming a gateway not only for Nigeria but for West and Central Africa. Our vision is to make trade faster, easier, and more competitive for businesses across the continent.” He also noted that investments in the port were driven by the need to address Nigeria’s long-standing infrastructure deficit and strengthen global competitiveness.
Standing before an all-encompassing view of towering ship-to-shore cranes, Mr Yang Xixiong, Chief Operations Officer, stated that the numbers told a compelling story. “We have processed hundreds of thousands of TEUs within months, with close to 20 percent coming from transshipment cargo. This shows trust from the global shipping community and confirms Lekki as a regional distribution hub.”
In a technical briefing, Mr Mattew Oloyede, Head of Technical at Lekki Port, described the shift in regional competitiveness. “This Port is helping Nigeria recover cargo traffic once lost to neighbouring countries. Our facilities are built to global standards, and we are expanding capacity because we see tremendous demand,” he said.
Nigeria’s broader economic ambitions have also found an anchor here. Policy analysts say that with the government seeking to diversify from oil into non-oil exports, the port is opening channels for manufacturers, agro-processors, and logistics operators to reach global markets faster and cheaper. The nation’s maritime regulator is equally convinced of Lekki’s transformational impact.
Also, Mr Muazzamu Ibrahim, Traffic Manager, NPA, highlighted operational efficiency. “Turnaround time here is significantly reduced; this efficiency saves money, improves predictability, and boosts confidence among shipping lines,” he said.
According to Harbour Master, Captain Tunde Ayoola, operational safety is also a point of pride; the port’s navigation systems are built to international standards. “Our channels, turning basins, and marine procedures are designed to handle large vessels safely. It is a new horizon for Nigerian maritime operations,” he said.
In the wider West African theatre, where the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is opening unprecedented opportunities, Lekki Deep Sea Port offers something rare: scale, speed, and unmatched efficiency. Amid capacity constraints in neighbouring countries, and rising demand for deep-water logistics, Lekki gives Africa a competitive edge.
As of October, Lekki Port has 760 members of staff, 98 per cent of whom are Nigerians, and has cumulatively trained more than 5,000 local workers since construction began in 2020. The Minister of Blue and Marine Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, said that the Federal Government estimated more than 170,000 direct and indirect jobs over the 45-year concession period and revenue contributions of $158 billion, alongside $361 billion in GDP impact from the project.
Ultimately, analysts hold that the Lekki Deep Sea Port, with its modern infrastructure and capacity to handle large vessels, has the potential to transform Nigeria and Africa’s economy through job creation and revenue generation among others. They say the port has the capacity to position Nigeria as a more competitive player in global trade.