The European Union has unveiled a €12 million regional programme aimed at improving maritime security, safety and port operations in key countries across West and Central Africa, a move that could reshape trade and stability along the Gulf of Guinea and beyond.
The initiative, part of the broader SCOPE Africa programme, targets ten strategically important ports, including those in Abidjan, Dakar, Lomé, Douala, and Lagos.
SCOPE Africa seeks to enhance compliance with global safety and environmental standards, strengthen risk-management and emergency response capacities, and provide training aimed at reducing illicit maritime threats such as piracy, smuggling, and illegal fishing.
Additionally, the project emphasizes the need for improved coordination among national and regional maritime agencies, better governance, and safer, more transparent port administration.
This development builds on earlier efforts by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and regional partners, which have long sought to curb piracy, armed robbery against ships, and other illicit maritime activity under the region’s legal framework.
By investing in safer, more efficient ports and shipping corridors, the EU’s commitment potentially strengthens regional trade resilience, a crucial economic lifeline for coastal and landlocked African countries, as well as for European-Africa trade routes.
Improved maritime security under SCOPE Africa can help reduce insurance and shipping costs, lower risks of trade disruptions, and enhance investor confidence. Given that nearly 90 % of Africa’s external trade goes through sea routes, safer ports could stimulate stronger trade flows, boost customs revenues, and promote regional economic integration.
