Nigerian Logistics Tycoon Taiwo Afolabi’s SIFAX Group Boosts Lagos Port’s Work Flow

Nigerian business mogul Taiwo Afolabi is strengthening the country’s trade backbone through fresh moves at Lagos’s Tin Can Island Port. His company, SIFAX Group, has brought in Micura Services Limited to take over stevedoring operations, a step aimed at making cargo handling faster, smoother, and more reliable.

The partnership, which began on August 1, will allow Ports & Cargo Handling Services Limited, SIFAX’s port operations arm to focus on overall terminal management while Micura handles the heavy-duty, on-the-ground cargo work.

John Jenkins, Managing Director of Ports & Cargo, said the decision was all about sharpening efficiency. 

“We’ve been serving Nigerian port users for over 20 years, and this new phase is about speed, precision, and trust. Micura knows the job, and we’re confident in what they can deliver,” he explained.

Micura’s CEO, Michael Ubogu, called the deal a big opportunity. “Our team is ready and trained to manage all types of cargo. This partnership will let us show what we can do and raise performance at the port,” he said.

Expanding trade routes to the UK

Beyond port efficiency, Afolabi is widening Nigeria’s trade links. In July, SIFAX Shipping Company Limited launched a direct Less-than-Container Load (LCL) export service to the United Kingdom. 

Developed with UK-based Netcargo, the service makes it easier for small and medium-sized Nigerian businesses to ship goods overseas without having to fill an entire container, cutting costs and easing access to global markets.

New Deals with India and China
SIFAX has also entered a fresh import partnership with WSC Logistics and Shotto Logistics Limited. The arrangement means goods from India and China will now pass through SIFAX’s bonded terminals and warehouses in Nigeria, giving local logistics operators without large infrastructure a more efficient way to move goods.

This approach isn’t new for the group. Last year, SIFAX partnered with ECU Worldwide on a similar LCL initiative, helping Nigerian exporters share container space and navigate fluctuating freight costs.

With these latest moves, Taiwo Afolabi’s strategy is clear: improve port operations at home while creating more practical, affordable pathways for Nigerian businesses to connect with international markets. 

And with the Tin Can Island Port upgrade now in motion, that strategy is already being put into action.