Unlocking Nigeria’s trade potential: APM Terminals Apapa champions collaboration

APM Terminals Apapa, Nigeria’s largest container terminal, has reaffirmed its commitment to fostering collaboration across the maritime sector to enhance operational efficiency, accelerate cargo clearance and strengthen the country’s trade competitiveness.

This message was emphasised during the company’s annual Partners’ Engagement Forum in Lagos, which brought together key stakeholders in the supply chain, including port operators, government agencies, shipping lines, importers, exporters and freight forwarders.

Long-term vision for smarter ports

Frederik Klinke, CEO of APM Terminals Nigeria, opened the forum by thanking customers for their continued trust and support despite ongoing global supply chain challenges. He noted that while issues such as congestion, delays and fluctuating freight costs are global, they require local solutions if Nigeria’s ports are to remain competitive.

Klinke reaffirmed APM Terminals’ long-term commitment to Nigeria, highlighting ongoing investments in infrastructure, strategic partnerships and advanced digital tools aimed at delivering faster, more transparent and customer-centric services.

Terminal Manager Steen Knudsen echoed these sentiments, emphasising the importance of stakeholder collaboration in achieving a more seamless port ecosystem. He encouraged customers to continue providing feedback, describing it as essential for identifying bottlenecks and implementing effective solutions.

Knudsen highlighted several recent achievements, including the launch of regular rail freight services between Apapa and Moniya, which now run three times a week. This initiative has significantly reduced road congestion and improved cargo turnaround times. Other improvements include:

• The expansion of the terminal’s examination yard
• Upgrades to container scanning and inspection processes
• Greater investment in barge operations for waterborne cargo movement, and
• The creation of bespoke export packages to speed up clearance for Nigerian exporters.

He stressed that sustained progress in these areas depends on close alignment among all parties in the logistics chain.

Knudsen also noted the expansion of the terminal’s online customer portal, which now enables clients to initiate transactions, track cargo movements and receive real-time updates.

Customers as partners in innovation

Earlier at the event, Commercial Manager Kayode Daniel spoke passionately about the central role that customers play in shaping the company’s trajectory. He described clients as not just service users but as active partners in growth and innovation, stating that each milestone reached reflects mutual trust and a shared vision.

Daniel assured stakeholders that the company would continue to invest in cutting-edge solutions and process improvements to make doing business easier and more rewarding in an evolving trade environment.

A panel discussion titled Terminal Progress and Future Outlook, moderated by CFO Courage Obadagbonyi, explored how technology – such as digital platforms, automation and data-sharing – can reduce delays and simplify transactions.

Government support unlocks nationwide benefits

Government agencies that operate at the port also outlined measures they are implementing to support faster cargo clearance. Lawal Adebowale, Port Manager of Lagos Port Complex Apapa, revealed that the Nigerian Ports Authority is deepening channels to accommodate larger vessels, upgrading berth infrastructure and enhancing pilot training to meet modern shipping demands.

Olaniran Olakunle, Director of Port Inspection at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), highlighted the agency’s automated product administration and monitoring system, which now provides an end-to-end online process for registering and clearing drugs, food products and medical devices, significantly reducing manual delays.

Babatunde Olomu, Comptroller of the Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, represented by Assistant Comptroller Abubakar Usman, emphasised that faster clearance depends on full compliance with documentation and regulatory requirements by importers and clearing agents.

Margaret Ogbonna, Director of Regulatory Services at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, called for more frequent inter-agency meetings to harmonise procedures and avoid siloed operations. She stressed that coordinated action is essential to aligning port processes with national trade strategies.

The event concluded with awards presented to outstanding customers in recognition of their contributions to trade facilitation and operational excellence. Many participants described the forum as timely, noting that collaborative efforts like these could help unlock Nigeria’s economic potential by making its ports more competitive within the West African region.