In a landmark feat for Nigeria’s maritime sector, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on July 2, 2025, successfully berthed the country’s first wholly Nigerian-owned container vessel, MV Ocean Dragon, signaling a bold step towards harnessing opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The vessel, owned by Clarion Shipping West Africa Limited, docked at 5:05 a.m. at the Lagos Port, facilitated by the NPA’s advanced marine crafts. With an International Maritime Organization (IMO) number 9508770, the MV Ocean Dragon has a capacity of 349 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) and is expected to play a key role in boosting short-sea shipping and intra-African trade.
Speaking on the milestone, NPA Managing Director, Abubakar Dantsoho, described the berthing as a testament to Nigeria’s evolving maritime capacity and a reflection of ongoing efforts to diversify the nation’s transport network.
“This is a significant step in reducing our overdependence on road transport, easing the movement of goods within the West African region, and enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness in the maritime space. It aligns with the vision of the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, whose leadership recently led to the Federal Executive Council’s approval of the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy,” Dantsoho stated.
The MV Ocean Dragon is positioned to connect Nigeria with key West and Central African ports, including Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Egypt, and South Africa. Industry players say this development could open new, cost-effective shipping corridors and stimulate regional trade.
Bernadine Eloka, Vice President of Clarion Shipping West Africa Limited, noted that the acquisition of the vessel is a strategic response to Nigeria’s over-reliance on road haulage for cargo distribution.
“With MV Ocean Dragon, we are offering a safer, faster, and more efficient alternative for moving containers across Nigeria. Instead of taking days to move containers by truck from Lagos to Onitsha or Calabar, we can now deliver them by sea in as little as two days, port-to-port,” Eloka said.
She added that the vessel aligns with Clarion Group’s broader strategy to deepen intra-African shipping services and unlock the full potential of the AfCFTA. Eloka also emphasized that greater enforcement of Nigeria’s cabotage laws would drive more indigenous investment, create jobs, and reduce the dominance of foreign shipping lines in local trade.
Mustafa Mohammed, Managing Director of Clarion Suncity Terminal Logistics Limited, disclosed that the company is already securing bookings for over 1,300 export containers, aiming to help Nigerian farmers and manufacturers overcome longstanding logistical challenges.
“Our goal is to support Nigerian exporters and importers, particularly those in landlocked regions, by providing reliable shipping options that reduce losses and avoid costly delays,” Mohammed explained. He added that Clarion is strategically investing to compete with global shipping giants such as Maersk Line and MSC.
This milestone also forms part of the NPA’s broader push to develop indigenous capacity in the maritime sector. Managing Director Dantsoho recently announced a fresh $60 million investment by the Authority to advance eco-friendly port infrastructure and boost local content participation.
As Nigeria positions itself for greater participation in regional trade under the AfCFTA, the arrival of the MV Ocean Dragon represents a new chapter for the nation’s blue economy. Stakeholders say it is a vivid example of how Nigerian ingenuity and investment can drive sustainable economic growth across Africa’s maritime corridors.
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