Na serious wahala dey for Lagos ports as exporters dey raise alarm say shipping containers no dey again. According to di Association of West African Exporters and Marine Professionals, di shortage don reach critical level wey dey threaten Nigeria export sector wey worth $44.06 billion as of 2025.
Di President of AWAEMAP, Bunmi Olumekun, talk say foreign shipping lines dey deliberately avoid Nigerian ports to carry export goods. Him say dem prefer to go Cotonou even after dem don discharge import cargo for Nigeria. “Dem want make sure say Nigerian goods no go sell for outside,” Olumekun yarn.
Di problem don cause export cargo to dey pile up inside terminals across Lagos ports. No vessel dey available to carry dem go, and no empty containers to load new exports. One exporter talk say him perishable goods don dey port since December 2025 without any vessel to carry am.
Di container scarcity don bring back di congestion wey dey plague Lagos ports before dem introduce e-call-up system. Terminal operators don even stop to accept export containers because space don finish. Transporters sef no want drop empty containers because of delay.
Lawal Wasiu, wey be Managing Director of LWL Concept, explain say di Iran-US war for Middle East don affect shipping routes. Many shipping lines don cancel Middle East consignments, and dis don cause vessels no to dey available to pick containers from Nigeria.
Despite di challenges, Olumekun acknowledge say Nigeria export sector don improve under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration. Data from Central Bank of Nigeria Quarterly Statistics show say total exports for first nine months of 2025 rise to $44.06 billion from $40.29 billion for same period of 2024.
But di AWAEMAP president warn say if Federal Government no address di container shortage urgently, all di gains go disappear. Him also raise concern say ongoing conflict for Middle East fit give foreign shipping lines more excuse to avoid Nigerian ports.
Exporters dey call on government to find solution quick quick before di situation kill Nigeria export market completely. Dem say if nothing do, di country go lose billions of dollars and many businesses go collapse.
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng
