APM Terminals Plans $600m Expansion in Nigerian Ports Amid Tinubu’s Reform Drive

Dutch shipping and logistics giant APM Terminals has signalled plans to invest approximately $600 million in Nigeria’s maritime sector, with a focus on modernising the Apapa Port, upgrading logistics infrastructure, and deepening its long-term presence in the country.

The proposed investment was disclosed during a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and APM Terminals’ Africa-Europe Regional President, Igor van den Essen, on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali. A statement from presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga confirmed the development.

President Tinubu said his administration was pressing ahead with reforms to improve Nigeria’s competitiveness and eliminate long-standing bottlenecks across ports and trade systems. “We are determined to move beyond outdated systems,” Tinubu said, stressing the need for faster cargo processing, improved efficiency, and wider adoption of advanced port technology.

Van den Essen described Nigeria as a key market for the company’s African operations, citing more than two decades of involvement in the country’s port sector. He said APM Terminals was committed to supporting the development of “world-class terminal infrastructure” and technology-driven port operations.

The company’s regional chief also welcomed Nigeria’s National Single Window initiative, designed to streamline trade documentation and customs procedures, thereby reducing cargo clearance delays. The investment, if finalised, would represent a significant vote of confidence in the government’s ongoing reform push in the maritime industry.