Shettima Inaugurates $115m Upgraded West Africa Container Terminal in Rivers

By Bon Peters

Nigeria’s Vice President, Mr Kashim Shettima, inaugurated the upgraded $115 million project at the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) in Onne, Rivers State, on Wednesday.

The project was carried out by APM Terminals, underscoring its unwavering commitment to the country’s economic growth and solidifying its position as a key trade hub in West Africa.

The company disclosed that it has reaffirmed its role as a key player in lifting global trade and creating opportunities for communities across Nigeria and West Africa with the upgrade.

APM Terminals said the investment would introduce an innovative auto gate system and advanced data centre, lifting WACT’s operational efficiency to a new standard, including the self-service kiosks which have also been upgraded to elevate customer experience.

At the commissioning of the project yesterday, Mr Shettima, represented by his Personal Assistant on Subnational Infrastructure, Mr Musaddiq Mustapha, commended APM Terminals for its huge investment in WACT, assuring that the federal government will continue to provide an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

He emphasised that the $115 million investment in the WACT upgrade would further enhance service delivery at the port, and also attract more vessels to the port.

“Nigeria is a country of significant opportunities. APM Terminals’ investment in WACT is a clear sign of the company’s strong commitment to developing ports that are a lifeline to global trade.

“Nigeria will continue collaborating with APM Terminals in the long term to create an environment where businesses participating in global trade can thrive,” the VP stated.

On his part, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, lauded the firm for the huge investment in WACT, as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr Adewale Adeniyi, said the project would support the efforts of his agency to generate more revenue, facilitate trade and curtail the smuggling of harmful and dangerous goods into Nigeria.

Also, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr Abubakar Dantsoho, represented by the Executive Director for Marine and Operations, Mr Olalekan Badmus, said, “This project is a clear demonstration of our dedication to ensuring our eastern ports, such as Onne, play a more central role in our national maritime strategy. This will ultimately improve our national maritime traffic.”

In his remarks, the Chief Operating Officer of APM Terminals, Mr Olaf Gelhausen, said, “This $115 million investment is a bold statement of our faith in Nigeria’s economic potential.

“As Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation, Nigeria stands on the brink of remarkable growth. We are proud to be catalysts in this journey, transforming WACT into a world-class facility that is lifting standards to drive trade and prosperity across West Africa.

“The transformative upgrade project at WACT embodies APM Terminals’ vision of lifting standards in the industry. We’re enhancing capacity, redefining customer experience, and forging stronger partnerships with the Nigerian government to lift global trade.”