• Nigeria signs MoU with AD Ports to explore port, logistics investments
• Deal follows UAE partnership, aiming to boost Nigeria’s regional trade role
• Emirati backing could reshape West African port competition

Nigeria signed a memorandum of understanding last week with Emirati group AD Ports to explore investment opportunities across its ports and maritime sector, including logistics services, special economic zones and digital trade platforms.

The agreement comes after Nigeria concluded a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the United Arab Emirates. Officials said the move should help Nigeria position itself as a regional hub for trade flows across West Africa.

Strategic regional expansion

Some analysts say the initiative could form part of a broader strategy to use Nigeria as a base for a gradual expansion into the West African port market. AD Ports could build on its existing footprint in Africa to support that ambition.

The group is already established in Egypt and has expanded into East Africa, where it operates Container Terminal 2 (CT2) at Tanzania’s port of Dar es Salaam, one of the region’s main maritime hubs.

In Central Africa, it has secured concessions in the Republic of the Congo and Angola to develop and operate multipurpose and container terminals in the ports of Pointe-Noire and Luanda. If the Nigerian partnership results in concrete projects, it could reshape logistics dynamics in West Africa.

Impact on West African logistics

A strengthening of Nigerian ports, backed by Emirati investment and digital solutions, could increase competition for cargo with neighboring ports along the Gulf of Guinea.

Nigeria is implementing an investment plan of more than $1 billion to modernise its main ports, with a focus on tackling chronic congestion at the Apapa and Tin Can Island terminals.

In recent years, those bottlenecks have pushed some traffic toward nearby ports such as Cotonou and Lomé, reducing Nigeria’s appeal as a logistics gateway despite its status as Africa’s largest economy.

The deal remains a memorandum of understanding. Any regional expansion will depend on how the parties follow through on implementation.

Henoc Dossa