APM Terminals has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Badagry Port Development Limited to explore the development of the proposed Badagry Deep-Seaport, following talks held in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Monday, September 7, 2026. The signing occurred during a visit to Denmark by Nigeria's Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, who led a Federal Government delegation to hold discussions with Danish government officials and representatives from the country's maritime sector.
Key Signatories and Scope of the MoU
The MoU was signed by Vincent Clerc, Group Chief Executive Officer of A.P. Moller–Maersk, on behalf of APM Terminals, and Didi Ndiomu, Managing Director of Badagry Port Development Limited and Quinn McGrath Marine and Environmental Services Limited. Under the agreement, both parties commit to exclusive negotiations on the feasibility and development of the Badagry Port as a greenfield project.
The proposed facility is intended to handle larger container vessels, add deepwater capacity to Nigeria's port network, and create new transshipment opportunities for cargo moving through West and Central Africa. This development is expected to position Nigeria as a major transshipment hub for regional trade.
Government and Industry Reactions
Oyetola said the visit to Denmark reflects the Federal Government's broader push to draw private investment into the country's maritime sector. "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," the minister said.
Igor van den Essen, Managing Director for Africa and Europe at APM Terminals, said the Badagry project could ease pressure on existing city ports while opening new trade routes. "APM Terminals is keen to contribute to Nigeria's economic growth and position as a trade hub in West Africa. We believe further investing long-term in our concessions in Apapa and Onne helps doing that, and we were pleased to have a constructive dialogue about this today. Additionally, 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 are central to delivering the kind of long-term investment that improves business conditions and market competitiveness.
Stakeholder Optimism and Broader Port Context
Didi Ndiomu, who signed on behalf of Badagry Port Development Limited, described the deal as a turning point for Nigeria's maritime ambitions. "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," Ndiomu said.
The Copenhagen talks also covered the possible extension of APM Terminals' existing concessions at the Lagos Port Complex in Apapa and the West Africa Container Terminal in Onne. This follows recent operational gains at Nigerian ports, with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) recording a 12.3 per cent rise in cargo throughput in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, according to the authority's Q2 2026 Operational Performance Report. Total cargo handled at Nigerian ports climbed from 31,825,592 metric tonnes in Q2 2025 to 35,740,362 metric tonnes in Q2 2026.
