Table of Contents
Key Points
- Taiwo Afolabi’s Ports & Cargo taps Micura Services in new stevedoring deal to boost efficiency at Lagos’s Tin Can Island Port.
- SIFAX Shipping launches direct LCL export service to the UK, easing trade for Nigerian small and mid-sized businesses.
- New import partnership with WSC and Shotto streamlines goods from India, China via SIFAX’s bonded terminals in Nigeria.
Nigerian logistics tycoon Taiwo Afolabi has taken another step toward improving port operations in Lagos. Through Ports & Cargo Handling Services Limited—one of the subsidiaries of his SIFAX Group—Afolabi has finalized a new agreement aimed at strengthening cargo handling at the Tin Can Island Port terminal.
Under the new arrangement, which took effect on Aug. 1, Ports & Cargo has brought in Micura Services Limited to take charge of stevedoring operations. The change is part of a broader push to streamline services and improve customer experience at one of Lagos’s busiest terminals.
Efficiency move: Micura wins cargo deal
John Jenkins, Managing Director of Ports & Cargo, said the shift allows the company to focus more intently on its core role in port management while handing over specialized stevedoring tasks to a trusted partner.
“Ports & Cargo Handling Services has consistently delivered quality service in Nigerian port operations. With over two decades of experience behind us, we’re entering a new phase where efficiency is more important than ever,” Jenkins said. “To get there, we need experienced partners who understand the complexities of the job. Micura fits that profile.”
Micura Services CEO Michael Ubogu welcomed the opportunity, calling the contract an important milestone for his team. “We are honoured by the trust Ports & Cargo has placed in us,” Ubogu said. “Our team is well-trained and motivated to handle all types of cargo. This partnership gives us a chance to prove our capabilities and contribute meaningfully to the port's overall performance.”
Afolabi expands export access to UK
Founded in 1988 by lawyer and businessman Taiwo Afolabi, the SIFAX Group has grown into a major player across several industries, including aviation, oil and gas, logistics, and hospitality. Afolabi has remained deeply involved in the group’s expansion, especially in areas where operational capacity can support Nigeria’s growing trade and business environment.
Just last month, SIFAX Shipping Company Limited, another subsidiary of the group, launched a direct Less-than-Container Load (LCL) export service to the United Kingdom. Developed in partnership with Netcargo UK Limited, the service is designed to help local businesses—small and medium-sized exporters—get their goods to the UK more easily and cost-effectively.
SIFAX deepens trade links with India, China
SIFAX Shipping has also sealed a new import deal with WSC Logistics and Shotto Logistics Limited. Through this setup, goods from countries like India and China will be routed through SIFAX’s bonded terminals and warehouses in Nigeria. The model is particularly useful for third-party logistics firms that lack the infrastructure to manage large shipments on their own.
In a similar effort last year, SIFAX teamed up with ECU Worldwide to support LCL exports. That partnership helped more Nigerian businesses share shipping containers, reducing costs at a time when international freight rates have been highly volatile.
These moves reflect a broader strategy: making international trade more accessible for Nigerian businesses while keeping operations at home running more smoothly. And with the latest port deal in place, Taiwo Afolabi appears focused on making that strategy work from the ground up.
