West, Central African ports enter $27bn expansion race as PMAWCA pushes blue economy agenda
Dantsoho says region emerging from “prolonged hibernation” as Lagos hosts maritime power brokers
By Maureen Aguta
The race to reposition West and Central Africa as a dominant global maritime corridor gathered fresh momentum on Monday as leaders of the region’s port industry unveiled over $27 billion worth of strategic port infrastructure projects and sustainability initiatives aimed at transfoaarming Africa’s maritime economy.
Speaking at the opening of the Board Committee Meeting of the Ports Management Association of West and Central Africa in Lagos, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority and President of PMAWCA, Abubakar Dantsoho, declared that ports across the sub-region were finally attracting global attention after years of stagnation.
Addressing delegates from Senegal, Gambia, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Congo, Ghana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and several other African maritime nations, Dantsoho said the sub-region was witnessing an unprecedented wave of investments capable of redefining its economic future.
Among the flagship projects highlighted were the $20 billion Simandou-Morebaya Deep Sea Port project in Guinea, the $2 billion Port San Pedro expansion in Côte d’Ivoire, the $1.5 billion Lekki Deep Sea Port in Lagos, the $1.5 billion Tema Port project in Ghana, and the $1.2 billion Ndayane Port project in Dakar, Senegal.
He also disclosed that major upgrade plans were underway at Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports in Lagos, alongside a $600 million investment in APM Terminals Apapa.
According to him, the maritime sector in West and Central Africa is now moving beyond the traditional role of cargo handling to embrace a broader blue economy framework anchored on sustainable fisheries, renewable marine energy, aquaculture, marine biotechnology and coastal tourism.
“We are determined to keep in tune with global trends. Our ports can no longer be viewed solely as gateways for cargo movement,” Dantsoho declared.
The PMAWCA President said the organisation was also spearheading environmental sustainability through the West African Sustainable Ocean Programme (WASOP), a €59 million European Union-funded initiative covering 13 West African countries between 2024 and 2029.
The programme, being implemented in partnership with Expertise France, is designed to drive climate-resilient maritime development, reduce carbon emissions in ports operations and accelerate adoption of cleaner energy systems across the region.
Describing climate transition as unavoidable, Dantsoho warned that African ports must urgently align with emerging international environmental standards to remain globally competitive.
“The green transition of our ports is no longer optional; it is an imperative,” he stressed.
The NPA boss further used the occasion to highlight what he described as Nigeria’s rising influence in global maritime governance under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.
He noted that Nigeria’s recent election into Category C of the International Maritime Organization, his emergence as the first Nigerian President of PMAWCA in the association’s 54-year history, and his election as Vice President of the International Association of Ports and Harbors signaled growing international recognition for the country’s maritime reforms.
Dantsoho said reforms being driven by the Nigerian Ports Authority under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda were already improving cargo handling efficiency, reducing congestion and strengthening Nigeria’s competitiveness under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
He added that rising cargo volumes and increasing confidence among international shipping lines reflected renewed investor confidence in Nigerian ports.
Calling for stronger regional cooperation, the PMAWCA President urged member states to work collectively towards building world-class ports capable of supporting economic integration and global trade competitiveness.
“West and Central Africa deserves world-class ports. Our economies require them. Our people expect them,” he said.
The three-day PMAWCA meeting in Lagos is expected to deliberate on regional maritime integration, infrastructure modernisation,
sustainability financing, trade facilitation and institutional reforms aimed at strengthening Africa’s position in global shipping and logistics.