EU commits €12m to boost security in Lagos, other African ports

The European Union (EU), in partnership with regional and international agencies, has unveiled a €12 million project aimed at strengthening the safety, security and operational efficiency of major sea ports across West and Central Africa, including Lagos.

The initiative, known as SCOPE Africa (Securing Corridors, Ports and Exchanges in Western and Central Africa), was launched on Friday at a two-day seminar held in Lomé, Togo, which brought together more than 100 participants from government institutions, beneficiary ports, regional bodies, technical partners and private-sector operators.

The opening ceremony was attended by Minister Counsellor Stanislas Baba, Secretary-General of the Togolese Government.

Funded by the EU for a four-year period and jointly implemented by Expertise France and Enabel, the project is designed to elevate port safety, strengthen crisis-response capabilities, enhance professional standards and deepen cooperation across maritime corridors that are critical to regional trade.

The beneficiary ports include Lomé (Togo); Douala and Kribi (Cameroon); Praia (Cape Verde); Pointe-Noire (Republic of Congo); Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire); Libreville (Gabon); Monrovia (Liberia); Lagos (Nigeria); and Dakar (Senegal).

According to EU, all are part of the strategic maritime and land corridors identified as priorities by the African Union, regional organisations and the EU’s Global Gateway strategy.

“Stakeholders examined the pillars of the project, which include strengthening compliance with international safety standards, improving emergency and crisis-management systems, professionalising the port workforce, enhancing regional collaboration and consolidating regional platforms for information sharing and coordination.

“One of the major highlights of the seminar was a technical tour of the Autonomous Port of Lomé, which showcased real-life applications of port safety and security mechanisms discussed during the sessions.

“The event also featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between SCOPE Africa and the Regional Maritime University in Accra, signalling new commitments to training and capacity-building for maritime and port professionals in the region”, EU statement said.

It noted that participants reaffirmed their commitment to the project, pledging to work collectively to improve the safety, security, resilience and overall performance of the participating ports.

They noted that strengthening these maritime gateways would help boost the competitiveness and long-term sustainability of trade corridors across West and Central Africa.