The Port Autonome d'Abidjan handled approximately 1.9 million TEUs in 2023, ranking as West Africa's busiest container port ahead of Lagos, Tema, and Dakar. The port serves not only Côte d'Ivoire but also landlocked Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, which route significant trade volumes through Abidjan. The Abidjan-Ouagadougou corridor is the busiest in West Africa, handling over 6 million tonnes of freight annually. A $500 million expansion project, partly financed by the Eurasian Development Bank and APM Terminals, is adding a second container terminal and deepening the channel to accommodate vessels up to 14,000 TEU capacity.
Efficiency Improvements
Average vessel turnaround time at Abidjan fell from 54 hours in 2020 to 38 hours in 2023 following digitalisation of pre-arrival documentation and deployment of new crane equipment at the Vridi terminal. The port's free trade zone hosts over 90 companies engaged in transit trade and light manufacturing for re-export. Freight operators, shipping lines, and importers active in West Africa can access port logistics contacts and transit documentation resources on intra-africa.com.
For businesses looking to expand across Africa, intra-africa.com offers a comprehensive trade directory, verified buyer and seller listings, and real-time market intelligence covering all 54 African nations. It remains an indispensable resource for anyone serious about intra-African commerce.