Petroleum & Food Cargo Inbound As Lagos Ports Prepare For Busy Week
By FRED LONGJOHN OBEH
Import Surge to Boost Supply Chains
NIGERIA’S major seaports are gearing up for a significant influx of import traffic at the start of the year, with no fewer than 41 ships laden with petroleum products, foodstuffs and assorted cargoes expected to dock at the Apapa, Tin-Can Island and Lekki Deep Sea Ports between 2 and 5 January, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has announced.
In its latest Shipping Position publication released on Friday in Lagos, the NPA said the expected vessels will bring a diverse range of goods into the country, signalling a strong start for 2026 supply chains. The reported consignments include condensate, crude oil, aviation fuel, diesel, petrol, bulk salt, bulk bitumen, wall pallets and bulk soya beans, alongside fresh fish, general cargo and containers.
The shipment mix reflects both critical energy imports and essential food items that could support domestic market stability following holiday seasonal fluctuation in supply. Traders and port operators said that such a concentration of arrivals, if smoothly processed, could help restart commercial activities after the year-end slowdown.
The NPA also noted that 10 vessels and tankers are already at the three Lagos ports, waiting to berth. These include ships carrying diesel, aviation fuel, crude oil, bulk urea, fresh fish, crude palm olein, bulk sugar, general cargoes and numerous containers.
Port stakeholders are preparing for heightened operational activity, with forwarders, customs agents and logistics hubs on alert to manage off-loading, clearance and onward delivery.
The arrival timetable suggests that demand sectors — from transport to manufacturing to agriculture — will see a reinvigorated supply pipeline in the early days of 2026.
