(Ecofin Agency) - The opening of Abidjan’s second container terminal in November 2022 has significantly boosted container traffic, doubling volumes since then. This expansion keeps the port in the race for top performance in West Africa and on the continent.

The port of Abidjan has seen a significant boost in activity, processing 1.6 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2024, up from 840,926 TEUs in 2022, according to the latest data shared by the port’s Director General, Hien Yacouba Sié. This growth helped drive a 15% annual increase in overall traffic, reaching 40 million tons, compared to 34.7 million tons in 2023.

The expansion is largely linked to the launch of the new "Côte d’Ivoire Terminal" in November 2022. This second container terminal, which has an annual capacity of 1.5 million TEUs and a draft of 16 meters, has allowed the port to accommodate larger vessels, such as the MSC ALIYA, a container ship capable of holding 14,300 TEUs.

Having the terminal managed by AGL (formerly Bolloré Africa Logistics), a subsidiary of MSC, has also played a key role in boosting traffic. Shipping companies tend to favor ports where their affiliates are involved in operations, which has given Abidjan an edge.

Abidjan is now closing in on West Africa’s top container ports Lomé, which handled 1.91 million TEUs in 2023, and Tema, which managed 1.9 million TEUs in 2024. AGL and MSC are also key operators at these ports.

Tough Competition Ahead

However, Abidjan is expected to face stiff competition in the coming years. Expansion projects are underway to increase capacity to 3.7 million TEUs in Tema and 2.7 million TEUs in Lomé. Investments are also being made in Nigeria to modernize the port system.

Since January 2023, Nigeria has been operating a new deep-water port at Lekki, near Lagos, with a capacity of 2.5 million TEUs. Meanwhile, older ports like Apapa and Tin Can Island are undergoing reforms to address the congestion that has been driving business to other regional ports, such as Lomé and Cotonou.

Nigeria’s large population and high consumption levels mean it handles a significant portion of regional traffic. Major players in the Nigerian market include global giants like APM Terminals, a Maersk subsidiary, and several Chinese firms.