West Africa Container Terminal (WACT)-APM Terminals Nigeria has expanded its scholarship programme to 193 beneficiaries after admitting 52 new students, as the terminal operator steps up investments in skilled manpower for Nigeria’s maritime sector.
The latest cohort comprises 47 students from WACT’s host communities of Onne and Ogu in Rivers State and five children of employees. The programme, now in its fifth year, has produced several first-class graduates, some of whom have been employed by the company.
Courage Obadagbonyi, managing director of WACT, said the scholarship scheme is designed to build a pool of educated young people who can contribute to their communities and the wider economy.
“This scholarship programme is aimed at empowering students to shine as leaders and contributors to their families, their communities, Rivers State and Nigeria at large,” he said
He said the initiative forms part of the company’s broader community engagement strategy introduced in 2021, adding that beneficiaries are selected based on academic merit.
WACT has also expanded its education-focused programmes to include an internship scheme that gives scholarship recipients workplace experience and the EngineerHER programme, which provides female engineering graduates with a year of practical industry exposure.
Frederik Klinke, country chief executive officer of APM Terminals Nigeria, said investing in education is central to the company’s long-term sustainability strategy because the logistics industry depends on a steady supply of skilled professionals.
According to him, facilitating trade alone is insufficient without developing the human capital needed to operate increasingly sophisticated port infrastructure and logistics systems.
Community leaders from Onne and Ogu described the scholarship programme as one of the company’s most impactful interventions, noting that it has helped reduce the financial burden of higher education for families while creating opportunities for young people to pursue careers in engineering, logistics and other fields.
“It is worthwhile walking into this environment and knowing that we have a stake here. Thank you for the scholarship,” said Godfrey Maate, chairman of the Onne Community Development Committee (CDC).
Bethel Olujobi reports on trade and maritime business for BusinessDay with prior experience reporting on migration, labour, and tech. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from the University of Jos, and is certified by the FT, Reuters and Google. Drawing from his experience working with other respected news providers, he presents a nuanced and informed perspective on the complexities of critical matters. He is based in Lagos, Nigeria and occasionally commutes to Abuja.
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