"Lekki Port Expands Transshipment Operations to Accelerate AfCFTA Implementation"

 

The management of Lekki Deep Seaport has announced intensified efforts in collaboration with government agencies and strategic partners to scale up transshipment operations to landlocked African nations. The move is aimed at enhancing trade efficiency across West Africa and supporting the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Deputy Chief Operating Officer of Lekki Port, Laurence Odibe, highlighted the port’s growing influence in regional logistics, stating that since the start of transshipment operations in June 2023, over 40,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) have been handled, with nearly half processed in the first half of 2025 alone.

Speaking during a panel session at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Freight Forwarders Group Conference in Lagos, Odibe emphasized the strategic importance of efficient port operations to modern trade.

Themed "From Ports to Prosperity: Fixing the Links in Nigeria’s Supply Chain," the conference convened port stakeholders, regulatory authorities, freight forwarders, and trade facilitators to examine pressing issues in the logistics sector.

“With a 16.5-metre draft and super post-Panamax cranes, Lekki Port is capable of accommodating the world’s largest vessels and discharging cargo quickly, reducing turnaround time and costs for shipping lines,” Odibe noted. “Strong inter-agency collaboration and advanced infrastructure continue to position Lekki Port as a benchmark for port efficiency in the region.”

Oluwafemi Omonayin, Assistant Director at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), praised the port’s seamless operations during a recent visit, noting visible improvements in efficiency and service delivery.

Dr. Ikenna Nwosu, Deputy Chairman of the LCCI Freight Forwarders Trade Group and Managing Director of Cobita Invest Limited, also commended the port’s contributions to transit cargo handling. He highlighted the port’s advanced container scanning system, capable of inspecting containers in just 30 seconds.

Panellists at the event described Lekki Port as a model of smart port infrastructure that aligns with Nigeria’s trade facilitation goals. They urged the replication of its operational model across the country’s seaports to boost competitiveness.

The conference further underscored the need for enhanced multimodal connectivity—spanning road, rail, and barge networks—positioning Lekki Port as a key logistics hub for serving landlocked African markets under the AfCFTA framework.