The United States has expressed its interest in partnering with Nigeria to promote environmental sustainability in port operations.

During a tour of the APM Terminals Apapa by members of the U.S. Delegation on Trade Facilitation yesterday, California’s Secretary of Transportation, Toks Omishakin, highlighted U.S. initiatives, such as onshore and offshore power systems that allow ships to plug in while docked, reducing idling emissions.

The terminal’s visit, organised by the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA), the Bay Area Council, and the University of California, formed part of a 10-day trade mission to Nigeria and Kenya. The visit focused on climate, infrastructure, trade and technology.

Omishakin, while commending APM Terminals for its significant investments and maintaining high standards of port operations in Nigeria, stressed that the visit was designed to strengthen partnerships between California and Nigeria across key sectors.

He noted that a key component of global trade lies in port efficiency, pointing out the striking similarities between Nigerian port systems and those in the U.S.

“The operations here are very impressive and progressive. From a staffing standpoint as well, I can see that they are very high-calibre people capable of working effectively with our counterparts back in California,” Omishakin said.

Omishakin said many do not know that ports in Nigeria have the same level of capability as those on the West Coast.
The Vice President of Global Programmes at the Bay Area Council, Alex Ford, also commended the APM Terminal facilities, describing them as a hub that meets international standards.

With California home to the busiest ports in the Western Hemisphere – the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach, which together handle more than 20 million TEUs yearly – the delegation, which included senior officials such as Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Dilpreet Sidhu, emphasised that collaboration with Nigeria could open new opportunities for trade, technology exchange, and climate-conscious innovation.

The Chief Executive Officer of APM Terminals Nigeria, Frederik Klinke, described the visit as an opportunity to deepen cooperation between Nigeria and California while reinforcing the terminal’s global approach to stakeholder engagement.