Kaduna Inland Dry Port Quadruples Throughput, Hits 800 Containers Monthly – Shippers’ Council
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) says cargo activities at the Kaduna Inland Dry Port (KIDP) have recorded significant improvement, with monthly throughput rising from 200 to 800 containers.
Danjuma Buba, Deputy Director at the NSC Kaduna Port Office, disclosed this in Kaduna, noting that the surge followed better coordination with the Kaduna State Government and the removal of key operational bottlenecks.
According to him, one of the major constraints had been the delays and interceptions of trucks moving containers to and from the dry port. He said timely intervention helped accelerate truck access, enabling quicker delivery and evacuation of cargo within designated timeframes.
Buba added that the improved efficiency has encouraged more businesses and residents to patronise the port, driving throughput above 800 containers as of November and stimulating trade and industrial activity across Kaduna and neighbouring states.
He commended the state government for demonstrating strong commitment by constructing an access road to the facility — an investment he described as critical to the port’s sustainability and expansion.
The rise in cargo volume, he said, has increased revenue for both Kaduna State and the Federal Government through customs duties and other charges, while also boosting business opportunities and purchasing power within surrounding communities.
Buba urged residents and business owners to maximise the facility for both imports and exports, highlighting Kaduna’s abundance of exportable commodities such as ginger, sesame seeds, and beans.
He also appealed for the completion of the second lane of the access road to further ease logistics flow and sustain growth.
Port Manager Razak Salami noted similar progress, attributing the remarkable improvement in throughput to strong support from the NSC and enhanced collaboration with Customs, SON, NAFDAC, and other agencies.
BRANDECONOMY Insight
The surge in throughput at the Kaduna Inland Dry Port is more than an operational milestone — it is a signal of what efficient logistics infrastructure can unlock for Nigeria’s inland economies.
The dry port’s rise from 200 to over 800 containers monthly demonstrates a simple truth: trade responds instantly to reduced friction. Once delays, truck interceptions, and access challenges were addressed, businesses returned. Logistics corridors revived. Container flow increased. And with that, the economic pulse of Kaduna and its neighbouring states strengthened.
This progress reinforces several strategic insights:
1. Inland Ports Are Critical to Nigeria’s Trade Diversification
Kaduna’s improved performance shows the potential of inland dry ports to decongest seaports, deepen market access, and create new export hubs in the hinterland.
2. State-Level Commitment Accelerates National Logistics Efficiency
The Kaduna State Government’s investment in access roads is a defining factor. Infrastructure ownership — even at state level — directly influences national trade outcomes.
3. Efficient Logistics Expands Rural and Urban Prosperity
Higher throughput has strengthened revenue for government, expanded MSME activity, and increased local purchasing power. Logistics is not just about trade — it is about livelihoods.
4. Export Potential Remains Underutilised
Kaduna’s wealth of export-ready commodities — ginger, sesame, beans — positions the state as a future agro-export powerhouse. The inland port offers a competitive gateway, yet exporters must urgently leverage this advantage.
5. Collaboration Between Agencies Is the Hidden Catalyst
The synergy between NSC, Customs, SON, NAFDAC, and others underscores the reality that no single institution can drive logistics reform alone. Coordinated regulation is a growth multiplier.
The challenge now is sustaining momentum. Completion of the second lane of the access road, continued agency alignment, and deeper private-sector engagement will be pivotal in scaling throughput beyond current levels.
Kaduna Inland Dry Port has shown what is possible.
The next step is transforming this achievement into a replicable national logistics model.
