Smarter, Greener Ports Key To Nigeria's Economic Future

Terminal operator, APM Terminals Nigeria has said the development of smarter and greener ports is critical to Nigeria’s economic future, noting that sustainable transport and modern port infrastructure will strengthen trade, attract investment and position the country as Africa’s leading maritime gateway.

The chief commercial officer of APM Terminals Nigeria, Westtar Kapito, stated this during a thematic session on Sustainable Transport at the 10th Nigeria-EU Business Forum held recently in Lagos.

The forum, which brought together government regulators, private sector operators, European financial institutions and development partners, provided a platform for discussions on investment opportunities and sustainable transport solutions across Nigeria.

Kapito said the transition to sustainable transport should begin at the nation’s ports, stressing that APM Terminals had continued to invest heavily in modernising Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure.

“At APM Terminals, we recognise that the transition to sustainable transport begins at our ports. This is why we have invested heavily in modernising Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure. Today, we are building the foundation for future electrification.

“Every modern crane, digital system, operational upgrade and infrastructure improvement brings us one step closer to the next generation of sustainable port operations. We understand that the port of the future will not simply be larger, it will be smarter, more connected, more energy efficient and increasingly electrified,” Kapito said.

He noted that the company was investing in the future through the modernisation of APM Terminals Apapa, the transformation of the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) in Onne into Nigeria’s first green port, expanded digitalisation and infrastructure, waterway solutions and partnerships with Barging Marine Solutions Limited.

According to him, the opportunities presented by sustainable transport extend beyond environmental protection to economic growth, improved logistics and job creation.

“Sustainable transport represents one of the greatest economic opportunities before Nigeria today. Not simply because it can reduce emissions but because it can unlock investment, strengthen supply chains, improve energy infrastructure, create skilled jobs and position Nigeria as the leading maritime gateway for Africa.

“The question is no longer whether sustainable transport will come to Nigeria. The question is whether Nigeria will lead. At APM Terminals, we believe the answer is yes,” he added.

Other participants at the session included representatives of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) and the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), who highlighted efforts to advance sustainability across road, rail and water transport.

Managing director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Kayode Opeifa, said the corporation was working to optimise existing rail infrastructure while seeking investments to fully restore the Lagos-Kano narrow gauge railway.

“We want the Lagos-Kano line to be fully operational. The last trip made through this line was in September 2024. However, we have been able to get this rail working again from Lagos to up until Ilorin. Just recently, we moved cement from Lagos to Ilorin a few times, making the fourth move in the last one month. Imagine being able to move cargo from Apapa port down to the Inland Dry Ports in Kaduna and Kano,” Opeifa said.

He also disclosed that the NRC had successfully completed a proof of concept on converting diesel locomotives to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), reducing operating costs by about 70 per cent.

“We have completed Proof of Concept converting our diesel engines to LNG. We ran it for one month; it worked perfectly. Our operating cost was reduced by 70%. With investments in gas, the plan is to have a gas plant around Lagos-Ogun line and another by Warri-Itakpe line where we have a gas pipeline,” he said.

The managing director of the Lagos State Waterways Authority, Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, highlighted the state’s Omi Eko Project as a major step towards cleaner inland water transportation.

According to him, the initiative is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 540,000 tonnes annually and cut greenhouse gas emissions by between 30 and 50 per cent.

“Lagos has 20 local governments, 15 of which are accessible by water. The state government is actively developing other modes of transport so Lagos residents can have options. The plan is to have 78 electric vessels running on Lagos waterways, across 15 routes which is 80% of the inland waterways. This will include the remodelling of 25 terminals and jetties, of which 10 will be equipped with solar-supported infrastructure,” Emmanuel said.