Nigeria’s Tin Can Island Port Complex and Lagos Port Complex in Apapa have been ranked among the world’s top 20 most improved container ports over the past five years, according to the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) 2025.
The World Bank, in the sixth edition of the CPPI, listed both ports among the top-performing facilities globally that recorded the most significant improvements in operational performance between 2020 and 2025.
The Container Port Performance Index evaluates port efficiency using indicators such as vessel turnaround time, cargo-handling performance, and operational effectiveness based on global standards. The report was jointly compiled by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence.
According to the report, Tin Can Island Port ranked 10th globally among ports with the greatest improvement during the five-year review period, while Lagos Port Complex secured the 12th position.
The CPPI provides a data-driven assessment of global port performance by focusing on the time vessels spend in port. The index enables comparisons across ports and helps identify operational improvements and challenges within the maritime sector.
The latest ranking comes as Nigeria continues to post strong trade figures. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that the country recorded a trade surplus of N7.54 trillion in the first quarter of 2026.
The report revealed that Tin Can Island Port improved its CPPI score by 42 points, moving from -68 in 2020 to -26 in 2025. Lagos Port also recorded a strong performance, improving by 35 points from -61 in 2020 to -26 in 2025.
The gains positioned Nigeria among a select group of countries that achieved notable progress in vessel turnaround times, port efficiency, and cargo-handling operations during the review period.
Nigeria’s ports outperformed several major international ports in the global improvement rankings. France’s Marseille Port ranked 11th with a 39-point improvement, while Türkiye’s Iskenderun Port placed 13th after gaining 34 points.
India’s Jawaharlal Nehru Port secured the 14th position with a 32-point improvement. Peru’s Paita Port ranked 15th with the same score, while China’s Keelung and Fuzhou ports occupied the 16th and 17th positions respectively, each recording 27-point gains.
The improvement in Nigeria’s port performance has been linked to ongoing efforts to modernise infrastructure, improve operational efficiency, and enhance trade facilitation.
Reacting to the report, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, attributed the achievement to reforms and investments in the maritime sector.
“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 and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, we have all it takes to advance the fortunes of trade and boost the national economy,” Dantsoho said.
Industry stakeholders believe the improved rankings could strengthen Nigeria’s position as a leading maritime hub in West Africa, attract more investment into the sector, and support the country’s drive to expand international trade.
The recognition also underscores the importance of continued investment in port infrastructure, technology, and operational reforms to sustain the momentum and improve Nigeria’s competitiveness in global shipping and logistics.
