Nigeria Sees 42.5% Rise in Imported Vehicles After Easing Levies 

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has reported a 42.5 per cent increase in imported vehicles handled at the ports in the first half of 2026, driven partly by lower levies and increased transhipment activity.

A total of 103,375 imported vehicles were handled between January and June 2026, compared with 72,568 units recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.

NPA Managing Director, Mr Abubakar Dantsoho, disclosed this at the quarterly meeting of the Port Consultative Council in Lagos.

Mr Dantsoho, who was represented by the Principal Manager, Statistics, Mrs Okenwa Igwebuike, said stakeholders linked the increase to the reduction in levies on imported vehicles.

In July, the federal government cut import levies on new and used vehicles by as much as 10 per cent in a move aimed at reducing the cost of vehicle importation, even as it commenced the implementation of a new Green Tax surcharge.

Subsequently, the levy on used vehicles was slashed from 15 per cent to five per cent under the 2026 Fiscal Policy Measures.

The NPA boss also attributed the growth to transhipment activities at the Ports & Terminal Multiservice Limited terminal on Tin Can Island Port, which he said contributed significantly to the rise in vehicle traffic.

The increase in vehicle imports came amid broader growth in port activity during the period.

According to the NPA, vessel calls rose by 6.9 per cent to 2,152 in the first half of 2026, while gross registered earnings increased by 20.9 per cent to 96,693,108 from 79,981,595 recorded in the same period of 2025.

Total cargo throughput also rose by 12.2 per cent to 68.29 million metric tonnes from 60.84 million metric tonnes a year earlier.

Inward cargo increased by 5.6 per cent to 38.41 million metric tonnes from 36.34 million metric tonnes in the first half of 2025.

Lekki Port recorded the strongest growth among the port locations, with vessel calls rising by 48.4 per cent. The port also handled nearly 40 per cent of total national cargo throughput during the review period.

Mr Dantsoho attributed the development largely to operations at the Dangote Refinery, which accounted for 76 per cent of the cargo traffic recorded at the port.