Nigeria’s Tin Can Island Port and Lagos Port Complex in Apapa have secured places among the world’s 20 most improved container ports over the last five years, according to the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index 2025.
The recognition was contained in the sixth edition of the CPPI, produced by the World Bank in collaboration with S&P Global Market Intelligence.
The report identified both Nigerian ports as among the global facilities that recorded the strongest gains in operational performance between 2020 and 2025, according to the PUNCH.
The CPPI measures the efficiency of container ports worldwide using indicators such as vessel turnaround time and overall operational effectiveness. By focusing on the amount of time ships spend in port, the index provides a benchmark for comparing performance across ports and tracking progress over time.
According to the report, Tin Can Island Port ranked 10th globally among ports that posted the greatest improvements during the review period, while Lagos Port Complex placed 12th.
Analysis of the index showed that Tin Can Island Port improved its CPPI score by 42 points, rising from -68 in 2020 to -26 in 2025. Lagos Port Complex also recorded notable progress, gaining 35 points to move from -61 in 2020 to -26 in 2025.
The latest rankings come amid continued growth in Nigeria’s trade performance. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicated that the country recorded a trade surplus of N7.54 trillion in the first quarter of 2026.
The achievements placed Nigeria among a select group of countries that made substantial strides in port efficiency, vessel turnaround times and cargo-handling operations over the five-year period.
In the global improvement rankings, Nigeria outperformed several established international ports. France’s Marseille Port was ranked 11th with a 39-point improvement, while Türkiye’s Iskenderun Port placed 13th after recording a 34-point increase. India’s Jawaharlal Nehru Port followed in 14th position with a 32-point gain.
Further down the rankings, Peru’s Paita Port occupied 15th place with 32 points, while China’s Keelung and Fuzhou ports were ranked 16th and 17th respectively, each posting improvements of 27 points.
Reacting to the development, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, attributed the progress to ongoing reforms and investment efforts in the maritime sector.
He said, “With the investor-friendliness of President Bola Tinubu providing the gravitas needed for increased investment to implement our port infrastructure and equipment modernisation drive coupled with the unflinching support from the Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, we have all it takes to advance the fortunes of trade and boost the national economy.”
