APM Terminals Nigeria has urged the country to begin its transition to sustainable transport from the nation’s seaports, describing them as strategic gateways for promoting greener and more efficient logistics.
According to Vanguard, the Chief Commercial Officer of APM Terminals Nigeria, Westtar Kapito, made the call during a session on sustainable transport at the 10th Nigeria–EU Business Forum held in Lagos.
Kapito said investing in sustainable transport at Nigerian ports would reduce emissions, improve operational efficiency and support the country’s environmental and economic goals.
“At APM Terminals, we recognise that the transition to sustainable transport begins at our ports. This is why we have invested heavily in modernising Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure,” he said.
He added that the company was laying the foundation for future electrification through investments in modern cranes, digital systems, infrastructure upgrades and the development of WACT Onne as Nigeria’s first green port.
Kapito said sustainable transport presents a major economic opportunity for Nigeria beyond environmental benefits.
“The question is no longer whether sustainable transport will come to Nigeria. The question is whether Nigeria will lead. At APM Terminals, we believe the answer is yes,” he said.
Also speaking at the forum, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Kayode Opeifa, called for investment in the Lagos-Kano narrow gauge rail line, saying the corporation had resumed freight operations between Lagos and Ilorin.
Opeifa also disclosed that the NRC had successfully completed a proof-of-concept project converting diesel locomotives to liquefied natural gas, reducing operating costs by about 70 per cent.
The Managing Director of the Lagos State Waterways Authority, Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, said the state’s Omi Eko Project would deploy 78 electric ferries across 15 routes and remodel 25 jetties, with 10 powered by solar energy, to reduce carbon emissions and improve water transportation.
