The European Union (EU) has announced a major €12 million investment aimed at strengthening the security, safety, and operational efficiency of key sea ports across West and Central Africa — including the Port of Lagos, one of the region’s busiest maritime gateways.
The new initiative, titled SCOPE Africa (Securing Corridors, Ports and Exchanges in Western and Central Africa), was officially unveiled during a two-day seminar held in Lomé, Togo. The event gathered more than 100 participants, including government officials, port administrators, regional policy institutions, international technical partners, and private-sector representatives. The opening session was led by Minister Counsellor Stanislas Baba, Secretary-General of the Togolese Government, underscoring its high-level significance.
Funded by the EU over a four-year implementation period, SCOPE Africa will be jointly executed by Expertise France and Enabel, two agencies known for delivering large-scale development and institutional-strengthening programmes. According to EU representatives, the project aims to modernise port operations, reinforce crisis management systems, enhance professional capacity, and deepen cooperation across maritime corridors that are vital for Africa’s trade and economic integration.
Ports Selected for the Programme
The beneficiary ports span nine countries strategically located along the Atlantic coastline:
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Lomé (Togo)
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Douala & Kribi (Cameroon)
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Praia (Cape Verde)
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Pointe-Noire (Republic of Congo)
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Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire)
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Libreville (Gabon)
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Monrovia (Liberia)
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Lagos (Nigeria)
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Dakar (Senegal)
These locations form part of the priority maritime and land corridors identified jointly by the African Union, regional economic communities, and the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, which seeks to boost sustainable connectivity and trade between Africa and Europe.
Key Components of SCOPE Africa
During the seminar, stakeholders reviewed the major pillars of the project, which include:
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Strengthening compliance with international safety and security standards
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Improving emergency preparedness and crisis-response mechanisms
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Upgrading skills and professional certification for port workers
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Enhancing cross-border collaboration among ports
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Building regional platforms for information-sharing and coordinated decision-making
A practical highlight of the meeting was a technical site visit to the Autonomous Port of Lomé, where participants observed real-world applications of modern port security systems and operational protocols discussed during the seminar.
New Academic and Training Partnerships
A significant milestone from the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between SCOPE Africa and the Regional Maritime University (RMU) in Accra, Ghana. This agreement paves the way for new training initiatives, curriculum upgrades, and capacity-building programs for maritime and port professionals across the region — a critical step toward sustaining long-term improvements.
Commitment to Regional Safety and Competitiveness
In closing, participants reaffirmed their dedication to the initiative, noting that enhanced security and operational standards across these ports will strengthen trade reliability, boost investor confidence, and improve the competitiveness of West and Central Africa’s maritime corridors. They emphasized that safeguarding these critical gateways is essential for long-term economic growth, regional integration, and the resilience of African supply chains.
The EU stated that SCOPE Africa represents a major step toward modernizing African ports and enabling them to meet global standards, ensuring that maritime trade remains safe, efficient, and economically viable for decades to come.
