President John Dramani Mahama has officially commissioned the $1.5 billion expansion of Tema Port, marking a new chapter in Ghana’s maritime leadership and establishing the country as the definitive gateway to West Africa.
The ceremony marked the completion of Phases 1 and 2 of a transformative public-private partnership between Meridian Port Services (MPS), APM Terminals, and other international investors.
Addressing the gathering, the President noted that the project required zero direct government funding, a model he described as a blueprint for sustainable development.
“This is more than a Ghanaian achievement. It is an African statement,” the President noted.
He disclosed that young Ghanaian engineers had entirely developed the artificial intelligence system that optimizes port operations.
“We are not just users of technology; we are creators,” he emphasized.
According to him, advanced automation systems would be installed by early 2027, with the ambitious goal of making Tema Port Africa’s fastest turnaround terminal.
The President describes the project as triggering “a ripple effect of enterprise and innovation,” driving economic diversification and youth empowerment, and calls for sustained investment in automation, digitalization, and green port technologies to keep Ghana competitive in global trade.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to policy stability and investor confidence, ensuring Ghana remains an attractive destination for high-impact private capital.
The upgraded Tema Port now operates as the preferred first-call terminal for mega-container vessels entering the Gulf of Guinea.
Mother ships will offload cargo in Ghana, which is then redistributed via feeder vessels to ports across West Africa, including Monrovia (Liberia), Freetown (Sierra Leone), Dakar (Senegal), and Douala (Cameroon).
The facility also solidifies Ghana’s role as the primary transit hub for landlocked neighbours Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, enhancing intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), whose secretariat is based in Accra.