Lagos Port recorded a total of N3.18 trillion worth of cargoes ferried out of the country by ship in the fourth quarter of 2020.
The volume was over 90 per cent of the entire export valued at N3.78 trillion, which left the country’s seaports.
According to reports, some of the goods include cashew nuts, cocoa, soaps, textiles, noodles, sesame seeds, ginger, palm kernel, tiger nuts, hibiscus flower, zircon sand, and other mineral resources.
Reports reveal that 986 ships laden with 20.2 million tonnes of cargo called at the port during the period.
Statistics by Foreign Trade Statistics (FTS) explained that the bulk of export transactions processed through Lagos Port was 93.9 per cent of total exports valued at N3.78 trillion, followed by Port Harcourt Port, which recorded N145.7 billion or 4.6 per cent, Tincan Island Port, N12.9 billion and Calabar Port, N844.7 million.
On imports, FTS noted that water transport accounted for N5.3 trillion or 86 per cent of the value of total imports, while air transport accounted for goods valued at N788.6 billion or 13 per cent in Q4 of 2020.
It added that Tin Can Island Port accounted for N1.03 trillion or 17.4 per cent of goods ferried by ships, while Port-Harcourt handled N613.5 billion or 10.35 per cent, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal, N89.15 billion: Warri Port, N72.44 billion and Port Harcourt I, N148.7 billion.
Data by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in 2021 revealed that at Lagos Port, NCS processed some export valued at N41.55 billion in Q1’21, which include soaps, textiles, noodles and agricultural products such as cashew nuts, hibiscus, sesame seeds and other mineral resources.
Also at Onne Port, NCC processed 207,749 metric tonnes of cargoes with free on board value of $70.84 million comprising cash crops.
However, data by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) explained that the volume of cargoes handled at the seaports dropped to 78.4 million metric tonnes in 2020 from 80.2 million metric tonnes recorded in 2019, representing a decline of 2.24 per cent or 1.8 million tonnes.
It added that the ports recorded a decline in ship traffic, noting that total of 3,972 ships called in 2020 as against 4,251 in 2019.
