APM Terminals has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU with Badagry Port Development Limited to explore the development of the proposed Badagry Deep-Seaport, marking a fresh step toward expanding Nigeria’s deepwater port capacity.
The agreement, signed in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Monday, September 7, 2026, commits the parties to exclusive negotiations on the development of the greenfield port project.
The MoU was signed by the Group Chief Executive Officer of A.P. Moller–Maersk, Vincent Clerc, on behalf of APM Terminals, and the Managing Director of Badagry Port Development Limited and Quinn McGrath Marine and Environmental Services Limited, Didi Ndiomu.
The development followed engagements between a Federal Government delegation led by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, and Danish government officials and maritime-sector stakeholders.
The proposed Badagry port is expected to provide additional deepwater capacity, accommodate larger container vessels and create new opportunities for transshipment and regional trade.
Oyetola said the Federal Government was committed to modernising Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure and creating an environment that would attract long-term private-sector investment.
“Our engagement in Denmark underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to modernising Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure and unlocking the full potential of our blue economy,” Oyetola said.
He said partnerships with global terminal operators such as APM Terminals were central to the government’s efforts to position Nigeria as a major trade and logistics hub in West Africa.
As part of the discussions, the Federal Government and APM Terminals also examined the possible extension of the company’s port concessions at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, and the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), Onne.
Managing Director, Africa and Europe, APM Terminals, Igor van den Essen, said the company saw opportunities for further long-term investment in Nigeria’s port infrastructure.
He said investment in the existing Apapa and Onne concessions, alongside the development of Badagry as a greenfield port, could help ease congestion at existing city ports and create new trade opportunities.
“Developing Badagry as a greenfield project will further ease congestions in city ports and further open new opportunities,” van den Essen said.
He added that public-private partnerships could support long-term investment, improve the business environment and strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness in the regional maritime market.
Ndiomu described the agreement as a new phase in the development of Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure, saying the partnership with APM Terminals aligned with the Federal Government’s maritime development agenda.
The proposed Badagry Deep-Seaport is expected to complement existing facilities by providing a deepwater gateway capable of handling larger container vessels and increasing Nigeria’s capacity to manage cargo for domestic and regional markets.
The project is also expected to strengthen Nigeria’s position as a transshipment hub by enabling cargo bound for other West and Central African countries to be handled through the facility.