Apapa is the gateway to Nigeria’s maritime commerce. In this region, the Lagos Port Complex is the busiest in the country in the handling of the country’s import and export cargo in containers. Thus, it is the most important port route in West Africa. For those who are importing, exporting, and for the shipping industry in general, the shipping partner in this region is of utmost importance.
List of 10 Best Shipping Companies in Apapa Lagos
Below are ten of the best shipping companies in the Apapa region of Lagos
- Wolid International Services Ltd.
- Maersk Nigeria Limited
- Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) Nigeria
- CMA CGM Nigeria
- Hapag-Lloyd Nigeria
- Grimaldi Nigeria
- SIFAX Group
- Comet Shipping Agencies Nigeria Limited
- Balaguer Limited
- Beta Shipping Limited
1. Wolid International Services Ltd.
Wolid International Services Ltd. is a company that knows Nigeria’s ports from within. Based in Lagos, Nigeria, at 21 Oyekan Road, Apapa, Lagos, Wolid has built its reputation over the years serving clients in Nigeria’s ports, including Apapa, Tin Can, and all ports in Nigeria.
Their areas of service include customs clearance in all ports and borders in Nigeria, freight forwarding including documentation, Form M, HS code, and PAAR, road haulage, warehousing of goods in transit, and insurance of goods.
What sets Wolid apart is that it has a deep understanding of Nigeria’s ports. Every consignment that comes its way is treated with the urgency it deserves. This is because, in the import business, delays are not just delays; they are costs. Reach out to Wolid’s team at wolidinternationalltd.net or +2347044064866 for top-notch logistics and port services tailored to your needs.
2. Maersk Nigeria Limited
Maersk Nigeria Limited has been in the shipping business for decades. Moller-Maersk, one of the world’s largest container shipping companies, has connected Nigeria’s importers and exporters to a global ocean freight network that reaches virtually every major shipping route on the planet.
Maersk Nigeria’s operations are based in Lagos, Port Harcourt/Onne, and Kano. They provide ocean freight services, inland services, customs services, warehousing services, air freight services, and e-commerce services.
The physical counter for face-to-face transactions in Lagos is located at APM Terminals in the Lagos Port Complex in Apapa. For companies requiring a global footprint, as well as robust digital capability in tracking and coordinating their logistics, Maersk is one of the most reliable in the shipping business in Nigeria.
3. Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) Nigeria
MSC’s Nigerian operations started in 2003. Since then, it has been growing steadily. Today, MSC offers seven services across 200 routes around the world. Every year, MSC handles over 200,000 TEU of cargo in Nigerian ports. This puts MSC in a position where it is among the most active container shipping operators.
The office is located at 4 Balogun Bisi Omidiora Road, formerly Hinderer Road. MSC offers weekly schedules that cover routes to Europe, South America, the Middle East, and Asia.
MSC’s coverage of Africa is also something that can be noted for any business that is keen on venturing into any of the intra-African routes that have been opened up under the AfCFTA.
4. CMA CGM Nigeria
The company, which was established in Marseille in 1978, has over the years developed to become one of the three biggest container shipping companies in the world. CMA CGM has operations in Lagos, including Apapa and Tin Can Island, as well as Port Harcourt.
Some of the services that the company offers include container shipping and cargo tracking. A dedicated Reefer and Out of Gauge team is also available. This is a plus for importers because they can take advantage of this service when they have cargo that requires such treatment.
Additionally, around-the-clock shipment management is also available. This is important for businesses that cannot afford any downtime.
5. Hapag-Lloyd Nigeria
Hapag-Lloyd is a well-established German shipping company with a strong and long-standing presence in Nigeria. Its Nigerian branch, located at 2–4 Kazuma Street, Apapa, Lagos, plays a key role in facilitating international trade through Apapa Port.
The company specializes in transporting cargo from Nigeria to major global markets, including Europe, North America, and Asia. Its services cater to a wide range of industries, particularly agriculture, FMCG, and manufacturing, making it a reliable partner for businesses involved in large-scale and international shipping.
These industries rely heavily on consistent transit times and the safe delivery of goods in optimal condition. Hapag-Lloyd addresses these demands by offering a range of shipping solutions, including standard containers, specialized cargo handling, and temperature-controlled reefer services.
They have various routes to the Apapa Port, including direct calls to the port and transshipment from Tin Can Island.
6. Grimaldi Nigeria
The Grimaldi Group is very renowned for moving goods from Europe to West Africa, and vice versa. The Italian shipping company has carved out a special and dominant segment of the market in Nigeria: Roll-on/Roll-off shipping.
RORO shipping includes vehicles, trucks, heavy machinery, and equipment, and Grimaldi is known for being the best shipping company for importing cars into Nigeria. Apart from Roll-on/Roll-off, Grimaldi Group is also in the business of transporting containers. For those importing vehicles and equipment, Grimaldi is a default term in the shipping industry.
7. SIFAX Group
SIFAX Group was initially incorporated in 1988 as a freight forwarding agency on Warehouse Road, Apapa. What began as a single operation has since developed into one of Nigeria’s most diversified Maritime Conglomerates, with interests in Port Operations, Aviation Ground Handling, Oil and Gas, Haulage, Logistics, and Hospitality.
The scope of the company’s shipping and logistics services includes sea and air freight forwarding, port operations, haulage, consolidation, warehousing, ship agency operations, stevedoring, and bonded terminal operations.
SIFAX Offdock Nigeria Limited is a company incorporated in the year 2004 with off-dock facilities located within a two-minute drive from Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports. Of all the indigenous companies in the Maritime Industry in Nigeria, SIFAX has grown to the level where it can compete with other international companies.
8. Comet Shipping Agencies Nigeria Limited
Comet Shipping Agencies Nigeria Limited has been in operation in the Nigerian port environment since 1984, when General T.Y. Danjuma founded the company to act as an agent for the Nigeria American Line.
Since its inception four decades ago, Comet Shipping Agencies has grown to become one of the most established independent shipping agents in Nigeria, serving all classes of vessels in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Warri.
It has been issued a license to operate as a clearing and forwarding agent by the Customs and Excise in Nigeria. Comet Shipping Agencies also offers its eligible clients a door-to-door service, which involves Form M opening, shipping, customs clearing, payment of duties, and the final delivery.
9. Balaguer Limited
Balaguer Limited occupies a distinct space among Nigerian shipping companies. It is a fully indigenous firm, licensed by NIMASA, the NPA, and the Nigeria Customs Service, and it was formed through the merger of three companies with backgrounds spanning shipping, clearing, forwarding, maritime law, and international trade consultancy. The combined partner experience runs to over 36 years.
The company operates from the Leo Block, Ground Floor, Eleganza Plaza, Apapa, Lagos, and provides offshore logistics support, customs brokerage, and clearing and forwarding services at both seaports and airports.
The legal and trade consultancy background is what makes Balaguer particularly useful for importers navigating complex or disputed clearance situations, where knowing maritime law is as important as knowing port procedures.
10. Beta Shipping Limited
Beta Shipping Limited is a Swiss maritime company that has maintained a Nigerian presence since 2003, with its local branch on Marine Road, Apapa, Lagos. The company targets a specific layer of the maritime market, one that goes beyond moving containers to the technical management and ownership side of shipping operations.
Services include ship repairs and new construction support, maritime investments, ship management, technical management, and worldwide procurement. For oil and gas operators and clients with vessel management requirements, Beta Shipping brings a level of technical depth that most logistics-focused companies in Apapa do not offer.
The shipping industry in Nigeria is the biggest in West Africa, serving over 1.3 million TEUs of containerised cargo annually, handled by the major ports in Nigeria, with the Lagos ports complex handling close to 70% of Nigeria’s total cargo volume.
The shipping company you decide to partner with in Apapa, Lagos, has a direct bearing on your costs, your timelines, and how well your supply chain will hold up to the pressure of doing business in Nigeria. These ten companies on this list are the biggest and best in Nigeria, from global shipping companies that operate worldwide to local companies that have spent decades studying this port from the inside out.
📍 Wolid International Services Ltd. | 21 Oyekan Road, Apapa, Lagos 🌐 wolidinternationalltd.net | 📞 +2347044064866
