The latest Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), published by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence, contains an important message for Nigeria’s maritime sector.
According to the 2025 report, Tin Can Island Port and Lagos Port Complex (Apapa) rank among the world’s 20 most improved container ports over the last five years. Tin Can placed 10th globally, while Apapa ranked 12th, outperforming several established ports across Europe, Asia, and the Americas on the improvement table.
This is more than a positive ranking. It is evidence of a measurable shift in how Nigeria’s busiest ports operate.
The CPPI is one of the most credible assessments of port performance globally because it relies on actual vessel call data. It measures how efficiently ports move ships through the system. Ports characterised by congestion, delays, and operational bottlenecks perform poorly. Ports that move cargo predictably and efficiently perform better.
In 2020, both Apapa and Tin Can ranked among the lower-performing ports in the index, with scores of -61 and -68, respectively. By 2025, both ports had improved to -26. That progress reflects a fundamental shift in how the Lagos port corridors operate.
For years, inefficiency was treated as an unavoidable reality. Truck queues stretched from the ports through Apapa to Maryland and the Cele Motorway. Fewer than 50 trucks were evacuated daily, truckers often waited two to three weeks to access the ports, and the resulting inefficiencies increased cargo movement costs by as much as 450 percent, costing the maritime economy an estimated ₦2.5 trillion annually.
The turning point came in 2021 with the introduction of the Ètò Electronic Call-Up System. By digitising and coordinating truck access, Ètò replaced disorder with visibility, scheduling, and accountability.
Since then, the platform has processed more than 3.5 million truck movements across the Apapa and Tin Can corridors. Average turnaround time for port access and cargo evacuation has fallen to two days or less; cargo logistics costs have reduced by an estimated 65 per cent; and containerised export activity increased by 464 per cent between 2020 and 2021. More than 400 trucks are now processed daily across client facilities, supported by real-time visibility and access control across over 120 locations within the port ecosystem.
These gains are the result of continuous improvements to the platform, including enhanced truck scheduling, real-time tracking, advanced analytics, and deeper integration with stakeholders across the logistics chain. Together, they have reduced delays, improved coordination, and made cargo movement more predictable and efficient. More importantly, they demonstrate how technology can solve complex mobility challenges in trade environments. The lessons learned through Ètò continue to inform TTP’s broader innovation efforts as we develop solutions for ports, logistics corridors, and border ecosystems across Africa.
The impact extends beyond operational metrics. With over 200 access control barriers, 80 CCTV systems, more than 200 technology enhancements, and 100 percent uptime since launch, Ètò has helped create a more resilient logistics ecosystem. The efficiencies enabled by the platform are estimated to generate approximately $1.7 billion in annual savings for Nigeria’s maritime economy while improving trade competitiveness and cargo flow.
Importantly, this recognition is not an end point. The world’s leading ports benefit from integrated infrastructure, efficient hinterland connectivity, advanced digital systems, and strong collaboration across the logistics chain. Nigeria still has work to do.
What this ranking confirms, however, is that meaningful progress is possible. It demonstrates that technology, data, and coordinated operations can deliver measurable improvements in port performance.
The broader lesson extends beyond the maritime sector. Infrastructure challenges are not solved by physical assets alone. They require systems that improve visibility, coordination, and decision-making. As Nigeria continues to invest in critical infrastructure, that lesson is worth remembering.
The most competitive logistics ecosystems combine physical infrastructure with intelligent platforms that enable efficiency, transparency, and predictability. The improvements recorded at Apapa and Tin Can demonstrate what is possible when technology, stakeholder collaboration, and operational discipline come together around a common objective.
The direction is right. The task now is to build on this momentum, continue investing in smarter systems, and apply these lessons to the wider mobility challenges facing Africa’s ports and borders. Developing intelligent mobility infrastructure that keeps trade moving and supports a more connected and competitive continent remains a constant focus.
Jama Onwubuariri, Managing Director, TTP Limited
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