FG Begins Counterpart Funding For £746m Apapa, Tin Can Ports Upgrade
The Federal Government has commenced payment of the counterpart funding required to unlock a £746 million United Kingdom-backed loan for the rehabilitation and modernisation of the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has disclosed.
Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, made the disclosure during an interview with selected maritime journalists, stating that the project has moved from the planning stage into the active pre-construction and procurement phase.
According to him, preliminary activities, including critical site investigations and borehole drilling, have been completed, while contractors are expected to mobilise to site after the conclusion of technical stakeholder engagements.
He explained that the £746 million financing forms part of a broader $1 billion Federal Government programme aimed at reconstructing five major seaports across the country.
Dantsoho said the NPA has already secured key financing for the project and that the commencement of counterpart funding payments marks a major milestone towards the planned reconstruction of the two Lagos ports.
To minimise congestion ahead of construction, he said the authority has introduced a phased truck entry system that releases trucks in batches based on terminal capacity. He added that a joint task force has been clearing access roads daily since June 2026 to prevent indiscriminate parking, while collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders has been strengthened to improve cargo evacuation.
The NPA boss described the port modernisation programme as a long-term infrastructure project, noting that the reconstruction of Apapa and Tin Can Island ports is expected to take 48 months, with completion projected for late 2030 if construction begins in the third quarter of 2026.
He also highlighted ongoing digital reforms in the maritime sector, including the implementation of the National Single Window and the Port Community System, both launched in the first quarter of 2026, as well as the continued enforcement of the electronic truck call-up system (Eto).
According to him, the reforms are expected to increase cargo-handling capacity, reduce port congestion and logistics costs, attract investment, and strengthen Nigeria’s position as a regional maritime hub.
Dantsoho added that while financial and preparatory work has largely been completed, Nigerians should begin to see physical construction activities at the ports from late 2026, with the full transformation expected over the next four years.
