Port development and infrastructure in Africa
Port expansion in Africa is one the most dynamic and strategically critical stories in global trade and African development today. Driven by rapid population growth, urbanization, and the need to support economic diversification, countries across the region are engaged in a massive race to build and upgrade port Infrastructure. While West Africa is a hotspot, the drive to build bigger, smarter, and more efficient ports is happening in every maritime region. The global use of mega-ships requires deeper drafts (18m+) and larger cranes that older ports cannot handle. Nations are competing to become regional logistics hubs, capturing valuable transshipment traffic. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is also another factor requiring efficient ports which are essential arteries for the success of intra-African trade. Aging infrastructures in historic ports like Durban, Lagos, and Dar es Salam causes massive delays and costs. New terminals are designed to bypass these bottlenecks.
West Africa, The Lekki Deep Sea port in Nigeria is a game changer, being one of the deepest in West Africa. It will be the first deep-water port with a 16.5m draft, capable of handling super post-Panamax vessels. Ghana’s Tema Port a completed, massive project that a new terminal with a 16m draft, solidifying Tema’s position as a top hub for landlocked neighbours like Burkina Faso and Mali. The new expansion at Cote d’Ivoire terminal (CIT) on the Vridi Canal, with a 16m draft, makes Abidjan port a direct competitor to Tema. Port of Dakar – Ndayane Senegal a brand new deep-water port city being built south of the congested old port of Dakar. It’s one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in West Africa.
East Africa, Dar es Salam Tanzania is undergoing a $421M modernization funded by the world bank to improve efficiency and capacity. The new long-term mega-project is the Bogamoyo Port, envisioned to be one of the largest in Africa, though it has been stalled for years. Port of Mombasa sees continuous upgrades to its container terminal (berth1-3) to handle larger vessels and more volume. Djibouti has transferred itself into a super-hub with multiple new, specialized ports. Doraleh container terminal, Damerjog Livestock port, etc. leveraging its strategic location at the entrance to the Red Sea.
Southern Africa, Africa’s busiest port of Durban is undergoing a major overhaul, R100 billion modernization program. This includes deepening berths, replacing old cranes, and reorganizing the entire layout to fix severe congestion issues. This is arguably the most critical port project in the continent. Walvis bay Container Terminal’s extension completed in 2019, significantly increased capacity and solidified its role as a key gateway for landlocked nations like Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
North Africa, Port Said Egypt East and West terminals sees continuous expansion to handle more of the traffic transiting the Suez Canal. Morocco’s Tanger Med already one of the largest and most efficient ports in Africa and the Mediterranean. It is in a state of continuous expansion (Tanger Med 2) to consolidate its position as a global logistics powerhouse, handling massive transshipment flows between continents. Most major expansions are financed and operated through partnerships between governments and International terminal operators (like APM Terminal, Bollore, DP World, and China Harbour Engineering Company).
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