Nigeria’s ambition to emerge as West Africa’s leading maritime and logistics hub has received a major boost following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between APM Terminals and the developers of the proposed Badagry Deep-Seaport.
The agreement, signed in Copenhagen on Monday, September 7, 2026, represents a significant step towards transforming Badagry into a modern greenfield deepwater port capable of handling larger container vessels and positioning Nigeria as a potential transshipment gateway for cargo moving across West and Central Africa.
The signing took place during the official engagement of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, in Denmark, where the Federal Government is intensifying discussions with global maritime investors and operators to attract long-term private-sector capital into Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure.
The MoU was signed by Vincent Clerc, Group Chief Executive Officer of A.P. Moller–Maersk, on behalf of APM Terminals, and Didi Ndiomu, Managing Director of Badagry Port Development Limited and Quinn McGrath Marine and Environmental Services Limited**.
Under the agreement, APM Terminals and the project developers will enter into exclusive negotiations to explore the development of the proposed port, signalling the terminal operator’s interest in advancing discussions around the ambitious greenfield project.
The proposed Badagry Deep-Seaport is envisaged as more than an additional Nigerian port. Its strategic value lies in its potential to provide substantial new deepwater capacity, accommodate larger vessels and create a platform for transshipment — allowing cargo destined for different countries within the region to pass through Nigeria before onward movement.
For Africa’s largest economy, such a development could alter the dynamics of regional maritime trade.
Instead of functioning primarily as a destination port for Nigerian-bound cargo, Badagry could potentially serve as a regional maritime gateway, competing for cargo destined for markets across West and Central Africa.
APM Terminals said the project could be transformational for Nigeria’s role in regional trade by creating significant new transshipment opportunities.
The company’s Managing Director for Africa and Europe, Igor van den Essen, said APM Terminals was interested in contributing to Nigeria’s economic expansion and strengthening the country’s position as a regional trade hub.
“APM Terminals is keen to contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth and position as a trade hub in West Africa,” van den Essen said.
He noted that the proposed Badagry development would complement APM Terminals’ existing investments in Nigeria, including its operations at Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, and the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), Onne.
According to him, continued investment in the existing concessions, alongside the development of a new greenfield facility at Badagry, could expand Nigeria’s overall port capacity, ease pressure on existing city-based ports and create new opportunities for maritime trade.
Beyond Decongestion
The significance of Badagry extends beyond the prospect of easing congestion at existing ports.
A modern deepwater facility capable of receiving larger container vessels could improve Nigeria’s competitiveness in attracting international shipping lines and regional cargo.
The project could also strengthen supply-chain resilience by providing additional container-handling capacity as maritime trade volumes continue to grow.
Its potential transshipment function is particularly strategic.
Cargo could be discharged at Badagry and subsequently moved to neighbouring markets, giving Nigeria an opportunity to capture a greater share of the logistics, shipping and ancillary economic activities associated with regional trade.
Federal Government Backs Investment Drive
Speaking on the engagement, Minister Oyetola said the Federal Government was committed to modernising Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure while creating an investment environment capable of attracting sustainable private-sector capital.
“Our engagement in Denmark underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to modernizing Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure and unlocking the full potential of our blue economy,” Oyetola said.
The minister explained that strategic partnerships with global terminal operators on greenfield port developments align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broader economic vision of positioning Nigeria as a premier trade and logistics hub in West Africa.
His discussions with APM Terminals also covered the extension of the company’s existing port concessions at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, and WACT, Onne, reinforcing the government’s broader strategy of combining new infrastructure with continued investment in existing port assets.
For Didi Ndiomu, the MoU signals the beginning of a new chapter in the development of Badagry’s maritime potential.
Ndiomu described the proposed partnership with APM Terminals as an important milestone that could advance the Federal Government’s maritime development agenda and strengthen Nigeria’s position within the regional maritime economy.
The proposed project, if successfully developed following further negotiations, approvals and investment decisions, could diversify Nigeria’s port infrastructure and create an alternative deepwater gateway capable of supporting growing cargo volumes.
It could also stimulate economic activity around Badagry through logistics, transportation, warehousing, maritime services and other supporting industries associated with a major international port.
The latest development places renewed attention on Badagry’s potential to become a major player in Nigeria’s maritime future.
The strategic question is no longer simply whether Nigeria needs additional port capacity, but whether the country can leverage its coastline and geographic position to capture a larger share of regional maritime trade.
The proposed Badagry Deep-Seaport could provide that opportunity.
If negotiations translate into investment and construction, the project could become a critical component of Nigeria’s ambition to move from being primarily a destination for regional cargo to becoming a gateway, logistics centre and transshipment hub for West and Central Africa.
The September 7 MoU may therefore prove to be more than another investment agreement. It could represent an important step towards redefining Nigeria’s place on the West African maritime map.
