Businesses owned by Igbos and other southerners are set to receive a boost as President Bola Tinubu is set to officially commission the newly upgraded West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) in Onne, Rivers State.

The facility, operated by APM Terminals, is Nigeria and West Africa’s largest and most efficient container terminal outside Lagos, representing an essential advancement in Nigeria’s port infrastructure.

APM Terminal invests $115m in rehabilitation

The N178 billion project, initiated in 2021, shows the commitment of APM Terminal and its partners to boost Nigeria’s maritime prowess.

The Managing Director of WACT, Jeethu Jose, stressed the upgrade's transformative effect, stating that the project is a historic moment for the Nigerian maritime industry.

He disclosed that the fresh investment of $115 million shows the trust and confidence that APM Terminals has in the Nigerian economy and contributes to its overall mission of improving lives globally.

The terminal is distinguished in Nigeria’s maritime history as the first greenfield container terminal developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

According to reports, the WACT is located within the Oil and Gas Free Zone in Onne, River State and has become a gateway for trade, extending beyond Lagos and serving as a vital conduit for the economic activities in Eastern Nigeria.

Largest container ship berths WACT

The terminal’s capabilities were shown on August 15, 2024, when it accommodated the largest container vessel ever to berth at any Nigerian port.

The Maersk Stadelhorn vessel measures 300 metres in length and 48.2 meters in beam, carrying approximately 10,000 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU) containers berthed in the port to display its capacity.

The event highlighted the facility’s enhanced operational capacity and critical role in facilitating large-scale trade, boosting Nigeria’s standing in the global shipping industry.

The commissioning ceremony will attract top dignitaries, showing its importance. The terminal upgrade will drive substantial economic growth for the local economy of Rivers and Nigeria.

It will also decongest the already stretched Lagos ports, streamline trade routes, and reduce the costs of shipping delays. The development aligns with the Nigerian government’s economic agenda to diversify and boost the country’s critical infrastructure.

Terminal commissioning occurs when the Nigerian government and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) drive port infrastructure and development changes.