Oyetola leads FG delegation to Denmark, secures APM terminals’ Badagry Port commitment

L–R: Group Chief Executive Officer, A.P. Moller–Maersk, Vincent Clerc; Managing Director, Badagry Port Development Limited, Didi Ndiomu; Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola; and Managing Director, Africa & Europe, APM Terminals, Igor van den Essen, at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of the Badagry Deep-Seaport in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Monday, September 7, 2026.

Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola (right) with Denmark’s Minister for Business and Competitiveness, Martin Lidegaard, during a bilateral meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Monday.

Stanley Ihedigbo

Proposed Badagry Deep-Seaport project has received a major boost following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between APM Terminals and Badagry Port Development Limited to explore the development of the greenfield port.

The agreement was signed in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Monday, during the official visit of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, who led a Federal Government delegation to Denmark to deepen maritime cooperation and attract fresh investment into Nigeria’s port infrastructure.

The MoU was signed on behalf of APM Terminals by the Group Chief Executive Officer of A.P. Moller–Maersk, Vincent Clerc, while Didi Ndiomu signed on behalf of Badagry Port Development Limited and Quinn McGrath Marine and Environmental Services Limited.

According to the Special Adviser to the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Bolaji Akinola, under the agreement, the parties will enter into exclusive negotiations to explore the development of the proposed Badagry Port, with APM Terminals expressing its commitment to advancing discussions on the project.

The proposed deep-seaport is expected to expand Nigeria’s deepwater port capacity, accommodate larger container vessels and create new transshipment opportunities for Nigeria and the wider West African market.

Speaking on the development, Oyetola said the Federal Government was committed to modernising Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure while creating an enabling environment for sustained private-sector investment.

According to him, the engagement with Danish maritime stakeholders was part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to unlock the potential of Nigeria’s blue economy and position the country as a leading trade and logistics hub in West Africa.

“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.

“Partnering with global terminal operators like APM Terminals to explore strategic greenfield developments such as the Badagry Port is central to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of positioning Nigeria as West Africa’s premier trade and logistics hub,” Oyetola said.

The minister’s engagement with APM Terminals also included discussions on the extension of the company’s existing port concessions at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, and the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), Onne.

The Federal Government said the Badagry project would complement Nigeria’s existing port infrastructure by providing an additional deepwater gateway capable of handling larger vessels and increasing cargo volumes.

APM Terminals’ Managing Director, Africa & Europe, Igor van den Essen, said the company was keen to contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth and strengthen the country’s position as a major trade hub in West Africa.

He said continued long-term investment in the company’s concessions at Apapa and Onne, alongside the development of Badagry as a greenfield port, could help ease congestion at existing city ports and create new trade opportunities.

“APM Terminals is encouraged by the Nigerian government’s ambition to expand trade, attract investment, and strengthen the country’s position as a leading maritime gateway in West Africa, and we are proud to play a part in that ambition,” van den Essen said.

He added that public-private partnerships could help drive long-term investment, improve the business environment and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in a rapidly developing maritime market.

Also speaking, Managing Director of Badagry Port Development Limited, Didi Ndiomu, described the proposed investment as the beginning of a new phase in Nigeria’s maritime development.

Ndiomu said developing Badagry as a greenfield port in partnership with APM Terminals would contribute to Nigeria’s ambition of becoming a major maritime centre in sub-Saharan Africa.

“Investing in maritime infrastructure and especially in Badagry as a greenfield port project together with APM Terminals is the beginning of Nigeria becoming the true maritime capital of sub-Saharan Africa in full alignment with the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ambitious maritime growth strategy,” he said.

When developed, the Badagry Deep-Seaport is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s port network by enabling larger container vessels to berth in the country, increasing cargo-handling capacity and supporting greater supply-chain resilience.

The project is also expected to enhance Nigeria’s capacity as a regional transshipment hub by allowing cargo destined for other West and Central African markets to be handled through a strategically located deepwater facility.

The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy said the Copenhagen engagement formed part of ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to attract international investment, expand Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure and maximise the economic opportunities presented by the blue economy.