Eromosele Abiodun
APM Terminals Nigeria has called for stronger collaboration among government, industry, investors and development partners to accelerate the development of bankable green infrastructure projects capable of transforming Nigeria’s maritime sector and supporting the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
APM Terminals Nigeria Chairman, Frederik Klinke, made the call at the second Decarbonising Infrastructure in Nigeria (DIN) Summit in Abuja.
Addressing policymakers, industry leaders and development partners, Klinke said Nigeria has made significant progress in advancing maritime reforms and climate action but stressed that the next phase must focus on implementation. “Policy alone does not reduce emissions. Strategies do not decarbonize ports. Frameworks do not attract investment. Projects do,” he said.
Klinke emphasized the need to translate policy ambition into scalable, investment-ready projects that deliver both economic and environmental benefits.
Also speaking at the summit, CEO of APM Terminals Nigeria, Koen De Backker, highlighted the critical role of ports and terminals in the energy transition, noting that reducing emissions begins with improving the efficiency of logistics systems. He said this can be achieved by reducing equipment usage and fuel consumption, minimising truck waiting times and congestion, improving cargo flow and operational efficiency, supporting cleaner energy solutions, and preparing for the adoption of lower-emission technologies.
“Maritime decarbonization is not only a fuels challenge. It is also an operational challenge,” De Backker said.
Representing Vice President Kashim Shettima, Deputy Chief of Staff Senator Ibrahim Hadejia called for urgent policy reforms, stronger public-private partnerships and innovative risk-sharing mechanisms to attract domestic and foreign investment into Nigeria’s green infrastructure sector.