Lagos ports handled an estimated N35.07 trillion, representing about 84.6 per cent of Nigeria’s N41.44 trillion total merchandise trade in the second quarter of 2026, highlighting the dominance of the commercial capital as the country’s major trade gateway.
The latest Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that Nigeria’s total merchandise trade during the quarter consisted of N27.02 trillion in exports and N14.42 trillion in imports.
Apapa Port, Lekki Deep Sea Port and Tin Can Island accounted for the largest share of the activity, with their combined export and import flows estimated at N34.90 trillion.
Apapa Port alone handled N25.53 trillion in total exports and imports, comprising N19.07 trillion in exports and N6.46 trillion in imports.
Lekki Deep Sea Port recorded N6.64 trillion in combined trade, made up of N5.03 trillion in exports and N1.61 trillion in imports, while Tin Can Island handled N2.90 trillion, comprising N726.92 billion in exports and N2.17 trillion in imports.
The concentration was even stronger on the export side, with Apapa and Lekki Deep Sea Port jointly accounting for 89.19 per cent of exports recorded among the leading customs ports and posts.
Apapa remained Nigeria’s leading export gateway, handling N19.07 trillion, equivalent to 70.57 per cent of total exports. Lekki Deep Sea Port followed with N5.03 trillion, representing 18.62 per cent.
On the import side, Apapa also maintained the largest share, handling N6.46 trillion, or 44.76 per cent of total imports.
Tin Can Island followed with N2.17 trillion, representing 15.07 per cent, while Lekki Deep Sea Port accounted for N1.61 trillion, equivalent to 11.15 per cent of imports.
The figures underscore the heavy concentration of Nigeria’s international trade around Lagos, whose ports processed the vast majority of the country’s merchandise trade during the quarter.
Other ports also recorded significant activity. Port Harcourt Area-1 handled N1.17 trillion in exports and N229.77 billion in imports, bringing its combined trade to about N1.4 trillion.
The Onne facility recorded N802.72 billion in exports and N1.20 trillion in imports, with total trade estimated at about N2 trillion.
