Port of Lomé: Togo
The Port of Lomé is a deep-water port in Togo on the coast of West Africa. The facility, geographically placed on the Gulf of Guinea, serves as a West African transshipment center. It provides access to landlocked nations such as Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and northern Nigeria. It covers more than 900 hectares and acts as an international trading hub with a large industrial free zone, drawing numerous companies due to its high-quality port infrastructure and advantageous regulations.
The Togolese government awarded Terminal Investment Limited a 35-year concession to build and manage a container terminal inside the Port of Lomé. The port has boosted cargo volumes from 300,000 twenty-foot equivalent (TEU) in 2013 to 2.2 million in 2022, becoming West Africa’s busiest port in just a few years.
Port of Abidjan: Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast Terminal, a subsidiary of Bolloré Ports and APM Terminals, opened the Port of Abidjan‘s second container terminal in 2022. The project has converted Abidjan into one of West Africa’s largest and most modern harbors, with an annual capacity of 2.5 million TEUs, thanks to three container berths, one Ro-Ro berth, and a general cargo terminal.
This enhancement has already significantly benefited the Ivory Coast’s economy since the port generates more than 50% of the country’s yearly GDP. The port, which is used by 70% of the country’s industries, provides a critical link for landlocked nations such as Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso.
Port of Tema: Ghana
The Port of Tema, located in Ghana, is the country’s largest port. In 2015, a joint venture between the French corporation Bolloré and APM Terminals raised US$1.5 billion for Ghana’s Tema Port, allowing it to accept next-generation ships. The port gets an average of 1,511 vessel calls each year, including container boats, general cargo vessels, tankers, Ro-Ro, and cruise vessels. The port processed 1.2 million TEUs of containers in 2022, and the port complex – located in the industrial city of Tema – acts as a logistical hub for a variety of enterprises including the mining sector.
Lekki Port: Nigeria
The Lekki deepwater seaport commenced commercial operations in April 2023. It is Nigeria’s largest port and is intended to handle ships with capacities exceeding 18,000 TEUs. The port was established to supplement the overcrowded Apapa and Tincan ports and to serve as a transshipment center for West Africa’s oil and gas industry. Prior to its completion, much of Nigeria’s import volume was unloaded at ports in neighboring countries such as Cotonou in Benin and Lomé in Togo.
Ndayane Port: Senegal
President Macky Sall launched the first phase of the Ndayane port, located approximately 80 km south of Dakar, in early 2022. With an annual capacity of 1 million TEUs, the project, spearheaded by Dubai Port World, is the biggest multipurpose port in West Africa. The initial phase will cost $827 million and will comprise a 300-hectare container terminal, a 5-km shipping channel, and an 840-meter quay with an 18-meter draft. Over the following four years, the port hopes to become an African replica of Jebel Ali, the Persian Gulf’s first deepwater port. This is Senegal’s largest private investment to date.
Learn more about the logistics and energy supply chain by joining this year’s edition of MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2023. The event will be held in Nouakchott from November 21-22 under the auspices of the Mauritanian President, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani. For more information, click here.
