Fertilisers import hits 400 thousand metric tonnes in nine months as import volume triples
Fertilisers import hits 400 thousand metric tonnes in nine months as import volume triples
Segun Oladipupo
The importation of fertilisers into Nigeria has increased to between 350 and 400 thousand metric tonnes towards the end of year 2025 and the first half of 2026, a stevedoring giant has said
This is as the inflow of cargo into the country from late 2025 to first half of 2026 has been said to have tripled the volume of cargo throughput into the port in the last two to three years.
Speaking with journalists in his office recently, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Micura Services Limited (MSL), High Chief Michael Orobosa Ubogu said that Nigerian ports were busy with handling of import goods from late 2025 to first half of 2026.
MSL is the leading stevedoring company in Nigeria with its presence across all the ports in Nigeria.
He ascribed the surge in import to construction items for Dangote Refinery, BOA upcoming Refinery as well as general cargoes
The MSL boss said that even though rice import has been banned as well as a freeze in importation of maize due to inability to sell off the imported volume, he maintained that fertilisers has been coming into the country in high volumes.
“Last year, there were volumes of maize through National Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) who are saddled with the responsibility of importing maize to cushion the high cost because of feeds and all that.
“Unfortunately, they have some challenges of selling some of the ones they imported, that is why there is a freeze in maize
“But fertilizers is still coming, they just brought some which they split between ABTL and some taken to Onne. The ones in Onne is the one they are distributing to the blending plants. They have done more than 350,000 to 400,000 tonnes as at this period.
Comparing import between the last quarter of 2025 to the first half of 2026 with two years ago, he said the throughput has tripled which according to him, is beginning to cause congestions on the roads
His words, “If you compare the analysis of cargo inflow in the port from late last year to this year, the throughput has exceeded three times what it was two or three years back.
“All the terminals are busy right now with general cargoes because of construction items, Dangote Refinery, BOA upcoming Refinery. So, almost all the terminals are extremely very busy at the moment.
“It shows an increase in the culling of vessels coming into the country. The port is presently overstretched, that is why the roads are beginning to experience chaotic traffic situation because the ports cannot accommodate empty containers anymore. They sometimes litter the roads and cause traffic situation.”
Speaking on the dwindling fortune of barge operations in the country, he quipped that the ninety percent of the people patronising barge in the last two years no longer do so because of the rehabilitated port access road.
“One of the factors the made barging activities become recognised was because of the traffic situation because in the time past, some empty or loaded container take time to come in or go out, that is why people devised the means to take them through the waters but today, ninety percent of people don’t pass the containers or trucks through the waters.
“In fact, the activities of barge is no longer up to ten percent meanwhile, about two years ago, it was like barge operation or nothing. The only companies doing barge operations are APMT and Sifax who decongest their terminals by taking containers to Ikorodu terminals.
“So, the rehabilitation of the road has played a big role in nearly eliminating barge operations,” he submitted.
