Nigerian billionaire Abdul Samad Rabiu is investing $85 million to expand BUA Ports and Terminals in Port Harcourt, a project aimed at supporting the rapid growth of BUA Group’s food business. The expansion is expected to enable the company to handle more than 2 million tonnes of imported raw materials each year as production capacity increases.

Port investment backs food expansion

Rabiu, chairman of BUA Group, disclosed the investment during a visit to Nigerian Ports Authority Managing Director Abubakar Dantsoho in Lagos. He said the meeting was an opportunity to thank the authority for its support, provide an update on the project and seek continued cooperation as construction progresses. According to Rabiu, the port expansion has reached an advanced stage and will play a key role in meeting the logistics needs of BUA Foods.

“The port expansion is about $80 million in total, and that is going to give us about 600 metres of seaside. We have gone very far, and we thought it was important for us to brief the management and also ask for additional support, and I am happy that the MD and his team have promised that they will continue to give us all the necessary support,” Rabiu said.

He said the investment is tied directly to BUA Foods’ ongoing expansion in Port Harcourt. Once the current projects are completed next year, the company expects to import more than 2 million tonnes of raw materials annually through the city, making additional port capacity a necessity.

“As you know, BUA Foods is operating in Port Harcourt, and BUA Foods is expanding, and by the time we are done with the expansion next year, we will be having almost over two million tons of products being imported as raw materials to Port Harcourt, and for that we need a terminal, we need a facility,” Rabiu said.

Terminal expansion strengthens BUA supply chain

The expanded terminal is expected to strengthen BUA Group’s supply chain as the company continues to grow its operations across food manufacturing, cement, mining and infrastructure. Rabiu said reliable port facilities are essential for supporting large-scale industrial investment and reducing logistics constraints.

He also argued that Nigeria’s economic size is not matched by its port infrastructure, saying greater investment is needed to support trade and industrial activity. Rabiu praised the leadership of the Nigerian Ports Authority for its support and thanked President Bola Tinubu for appointing the current management team.

Port expansion strengthens maritime trade

Looking back at the project, Rabiu said the Port Harcourt terminal once faced uncertainty after its acquisition rights were revoked. He said the support received from the Nigerian Ports Authority has allowed the development to move forward and reach its current stage.

Earlier, Nigerian Ports Authority Managing Director Abubakar Dantsoho said the $85 million investment is expected to drive double-digit growth in cargo throughput and revenue while strengthening activity at Nigeria’s eastern ports. He described the expansion as an important development for trade and the country’s maritime sector.

“On a normal day, 16 percent is expected anywhere in the world in the port industry. So with this kind of development, I’m sure we can get like 13-14 percent, which is a very fantastic thing to happen,” Dantsoho said. He added that the Nigerian Ports Authority would continue working with private investors to improve port operations, increase cargo volumes and support economic growth.