President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to inaugurate the newly upgraded West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) in Onne, Rivers State, next Wednesday.
According to a statement from the terminal’s operators on Sunday.
WACT, operated by APM Terminals in Onne, Rivers State, stands as Nigeria’s largest and most efficient container terminal outside of Lagos.
The terminal recently underwent a transformative upgrade, a project that began in 2021 with an investment of USD 115 million (approximately N178.2 billion).
Jeethu Jose, the Managing Director of WACT, highlighted the significance of this development, describing it as a landmark achievement for Nigerian ports. “We are thrilled to announce the successful completion of our terminal’s upgrade at Onne Port.
This marks a new era for Nigeria and we are extremely excited about the potential it holds,” he said.
He further emphasized that the substantial investment reflects APM Terminals’ confidence in the Nigerian economy and their commitment to enhancing global trade while improving lives.
WACT is notably Nigeria’s first greenfield container terminal developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Strategically located within the Oil and Gas Free Zone in Onne, Rivers State, the terminal has become a crucial gateway for markets beyond the Lagos region and a key link to Eastern Nigeria’s growing economy.
In a historic moment on August 15, 2020, WACT welcomed the largest container vessel ever to dock at a Nigerian port—the Maersk Stadelhorn, measuring 300 meters in length and 48.2 meters in width, with a capacity of approximately 10,000 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEU) of containers.
The commissioning ceremony is expected to draw several prominent figures, including Governors, Ministers, and heads of key government agencies such as the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigeria Customs Service, and Nigerian Shippers’ Council.
Representatives from shipping companies, freight forwarding associations, and the import-export community will also be in attendance.
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