Oyetola, APM Terminals Sign MoU to Develop Badagry Deep-Seaport

• Minister leads FG delegation to strike deal in Denmark

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The federal government and APM Terminals have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the development of the proposed Badagry Deep-Seaport, marking a major step towards establishing a new deepwater gateway for Nigeria and the wider West African market.

The agreement was signed in Copenhagen, Denmark, during a visit by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, who led a federal government delegation to strengthen maritime cooperation and attract fresh investment into Nigeria’s port infrastructure.

Under the agreement, APM Terminals will enter into exclusive negotiations with Badagry Port Development Limited and Quinn McGrath Marine and Environmental Services Limited to explore the development of the greenfield port project.

The MoU was signed by the Group Chief Executive Officer of A.P. Moller-Maersk, Vincent Clerc, on behalf of APM Terminals, and the Managing Director of Badagry Port Development Limited and Quinn McGrath Marine and Environmental Services Limited, Didi Ndiomu.

The proposed port is expected to provide additional deepwater capacity, accommodate larger container vessels and create new opportunities for transshipment, potentially strengthening Nigeria’s position as a regional maritime hub.

The development was one of the major outcomes of Oyetola’s engagements in Denmark, where the minister and his delegation held discussions with senior Danish government officials and representatives of the country’s maritime industry.

During the visit, the Nigerian delegation and APM Terminals also discussed the possible extension of the company’s port concessions at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, and the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), Onne.

Oyetola said the federal government remained committed to developing Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure and creating an enabling environment for long-term private-sector investment.

The minister’s engagement formed part of the administration’s broader efforts to position the marine and blue economy as a major contributor to economic growth, investment and employment.

Managing Director, Africa and Europe, APM Terminals, Igor van den Essen, said the company was interested in contributing to Nigeria’s economic growth and strengthening the country’s position as a trade hub in West Africa.

“APM Terminals is keen to contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth and position as a trade hub in West Africa. We believe further investing long-term in our concessions in Apapa and Onne helps doing that, and we were pleased to have a constructive dialogue about this today,” he said.

Van den Essen said developing Badagry as a greenfield port would create additional capacity while helping to reduce congestion at existing city ports.

“Additionally, developing Badagry as a greenfield project will further ease congestion in city ports and further open new opportunities,” he added.

He also welcomed the federal government’s ambition to expand trade, attract investment and strengthen Nigeria’s position as a leading maritime gateway in West Africa.

“APM Terminals is encouraged by the Nigerian government’s ambition to expand trade, attract investment, and strengthen the country’s position as a leading maritime gateway in West Africa, and we are proud to play a part in that ambition,” van den Essen said.

According to him, public-private partnerships would be critical to delivering the long-term investment required to improve infrastructure, the business environment and Nigeria’s competitiveness.

“We strongly believe that public-private partnerships help us deliver results that support growth because they drive long-term investment, a better business environment and, thereby, competitiveness in a rapidly developing market,” he said.

For Ndiomu, the agreement represented the beginning of a new phase in Nigeria’s maritime development, particularly with the involvement of a major global port operator.

“Investing in maritime infrastructure and especially in Badagry as a greenfield port project together with APM Terminals is the beginning of Nigeria becoming the true maritime capital of sub-Saharan Africa in full alignment with the government’s ambitious maritime growth strategy,” he said.

The proposed Badagry Deep-Seaport is expected to complement existing port infrastructure by providing a deepwater facility capable of handling larger container vessels and increased cargo volumes.

Beyond serving Nigeria’s domestic cargo needs, the project is expected to create additional transshipment opportunities, enabling Nigeria to handle cargo destined for other West African markets and potentially strengthening its role in regional supply chains.

The development of the greenfield facility could also reduce pressure on existing ports located within densely populated urban areas, while creating new opportunities for investment, logistics and maritime-related activities.