Nigeria: Tinubu to inaugurate $115mln WACT terminal upgrade project

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will officially commission the upgraded West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) in Onne, Rivers State, next Wednesday, the leading eastern port operator revealed in a statement on Sunday.

WACT, operated by APM Terminals in Onne, Rivers State, is Nigeria’s largest and most efficient container terminal outside Lagos.

An unprecedented USD 115 million (approximately N178.2 billion) upgrade project commenced at WACT in 2021.

The Managing Director of WACT, Jeethu Jose, remarked that the completion of the upgrade marks a significant milestone in the history of Nigerian ports. He said, “We are pleased to announce the successful completion of the upgrade of our terminal at Onne Port. This will be a game-changer for Nigeria, and we’re thoroughly excited about it.”

He added, “The fresh investment of USD 115 million is further testament to the trust and confidence that APM Terminals has in the Nigerian economy and contributes to our purpose of improving lives for all while lifting global trade.”

WACT is Nigeria’s first greenfield container terminal to develop under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Strategically situated within the Oil and Gas Free Zone in Onne, Rivers State, the terminal has evolved into the premier gateway for accessing markets beyond the Lagos region and serves as a vital conduit to Eastern Nigeria’s burgeoning economy.

On August 15, 2020, WACT made history when it received the largest container vessel ever to berth at any Nigerian port. The vessel, Maersk Stadelhorn, measures 300 meters in length overall and 48.2 meters in beam, with a capacity to carry approximately 10,000 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU) of containers.

Several dignitaries, including Governors, Ministers, and heads of government agencies such as the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA), as well as representatives of shipping companies, freight forwarding associations, importers, and exporters, among others, are scheduled to attend the commissioning ceremony.