The European Union (EU) has unveiled an ambitious €12 million initiative to strengthen safety, security, and operational standards across a strategic network of ports in West and Central Africa, addressing mounting concerns over maritime crime, infrastructure vulnerabilities, and the region’s expanding role in global trade.
The programme, formally launched this week in Togo’s capital following a two-day regional seminar, marks a crucial intervention as Africa’s maritime trade expands at an estimated 7% annually, with nearly 90% of the continent’s commerce flowing through its ports and waters.
Known as SCOPE Africa — Securing Corridors, Ports and Exchanges in Western and Central Africa — the four-year project will focus on 10 major ports spanning nine countries: Lomé in Togo, Douala and Kribi in Cameroon, Praia in Cape Verde, Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo, Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire, Libreville in Gabon, Monrovia in Liberia, Lagos in Nigeria, and Dakar in Senegal.
Strategic Timing Amid Growing Security Pressures
The initiative comes at a critical juncture for the region. According to Penn Laré, chief of staff of Togo’s High Council for the Sea, securing maritime areas exceeds the capacity of any single country, necessitating coordinated regional action. The programme builds on more than a decade of regional cooperation efforts but arrives amid escalating security challenges that extend from piracy and drug trafficking to terrorism spillover from the Sahel.
Recent security assessments paint a sobering picture of the threats facing West African maritime infrastructure. The region continues to serve as a major corridor for cocaine shipments from Latin America to European markets, while illegal fishing operations drain billions from local economies. The continent loses up to $50 billion annually to illicit financial flows, with porous ports and under-resourced customs systems serving as key enablers of transnational crime.
The Gulf of Guinea, which encompasses many of the participating ports, has long been recognized as a global piracy hotspot, though patterns are shifting. While Nigerian waters have seen reduced incidents, attacks have migrated to neighboring jurisdictions, with pirates increasingly targeting crew members for kidnapping rather than cargo theft.
Comprehensive Approach to Port Modernization
Funded by the EU and jointly implemented by French development agency Expertise France and Belgian development organization Enabel, SCOPE Africa represents what organizers describe as a holistic approach to port security. The programme is structured around five core pillars that extend beyond traditional security measures.
First, the initiative will strengthen compliance with international safety and security standards while integrating environmental resilience considerations. Second, it aims to enhance risk management capabilities, enabling ports to prevent and respond more effectively to security incidents and crises.
Third, the programme emphasizes professional training and capacity building, with a particular focus on inclusion and gender equity among port personnel. Fourth, it seeks to boost regional cooperation through enhanced dialogue and information sharing between port authorities and national governments. Finally, SCOPE Africa will support regional platforms, including the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa.
The launch seminar in Lomé brought together more than 100 participants from government institutions, beneficiary ports, regional bodies, technical partners and private-sector operators, underscoring the broad coalition supporting the effort. The opening ceremony was attended by Stanislas Baba, Minister Counsellor and Secretary-General of the Togolese Government.
Linking Security to Economic Competitiveness
For EU officials, SCOPE Africa represents a key operational component of the bloc’s Global Gateway Strategy, an infrastructure and investment initiative aimed at strengthening partnerships with developing regions. Ambassador Gwilym Ceri Jones represented the EU at the launch, emphasizing the connection between port security and broader economic integration objectives.
The strategic rationale is clear: as African nations work to implement the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, which aims to create the world’s largest free trade zone by market size, the efficiency and security of maritime corridors become increasingly critical. Trade facilitation and logistics performance directly impact the competitiveness of African economies in global markets.
As security analysts have noted, investing in port security is not merely a cost but a lever for attractiveness. Ports plagued by security incidents, trafficking, or operational inefficiencies struggle to attract shipping lines, investors, and cargo volumes. Conversely, well-secured, efficiently managed ports can serve as engines of regional economic growth.
The case of Togo’s Port of Lomé illustrates these dynamics. With its deep-water facilities and strategic location, Lomé aspires to function as a major logistics and financial hub for the region. However, analysts stress that enhanced security will be essential to realizing this vision. The project agenda included a visit to the Autonomous Port of Lomé, providing participants with firsthand exposure to current operations and infrastructure.
Building on Existing Models
While many West African ports face significant security deficits, some success stories provide templates for the SCOPE Africa initiative. Cameroon’s Port Autonome in Douala has implemented comprehensive security upgrades since 2019, integrating biometric access controls, advanced surveillance systems, radar technology, and aerial drones. The port has also deployed more than 200 additional security personnel and introduced naval simulators to train rapid-response teams.
Morocco’s maritime security strategy, developed with support from the EU and United States, has similarly demonstrated that systematic investment in coastal security infrastructure can yield measurable improvements in port performance and safety.
SCOPE Africa positions itself as complementary to other maritime security initiatives active in the region, including SEACOP, GoGIN, SAFE SEAS, and EnMAR. Rather than duplicating efforts, the programme aims to fill gaps in institutional capacity, professional training, and regional coordination mechanisms.
Academic Partnership Signals Long-Term Vision
A significant milestone at the Lomé launch was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Regional Maritime University in Accra, Ghana. This partnership underscores the programme’s commitment to long-term professionalization of the maritime and port sectors, ensuring that capacity building extends beyond immediate technical assistance to create sustainable educational frameworks.
The focus on training and skills development reflects recognition that technology and infrastructure alone cannot address security challenges. Human capital development, institutional strengthening, and the cultivation of professional standards are equally critical to creating ports that can maintain high security and operational standards over time.
Regional Stakes and Continental Implications
The stakes extend well beyond the 10 participating ports. As the region confronts the southward spread of jihadist insurgency from the Sahel, coastal states face mounting pressure to prevent terrorist groups from exploiting maritime corridors for financing and logistics. Strengthening port security directly supports efforts to prevent trafficking of weapons, drugs, and other contraband that can fuel extremist violence.
Moreover, with African nations increasingly asserting their interests on the global stage — exemplified by the African Union’s accession to the G20 in 2023 — the continent’s ability to secure its maritime infrastructure carries implications for its broader international standing and economic autonomy.
Participants at the Lomé seminar pledged to work collectively toward improving the safety, security, resilience, and overall performance of the participating ports. The success of SCOPE Africa will ultimately depend on sustained political commitment, effective coordination among diverse stakeholders, and the willingness of beneficiary countries to implement sometimes difficult reforms.
As West and Central Africa navigate an increasingly complex security landscape while seeking to capitalize on growing trade opportunities, initiatives like SCOPE Africa represent critical investments in the region’s future. Whether the €12 million programme can deliver lasting improvements in port security and operational performance will become clear over the next four years, with implications that extend far beyond the docks of Lomé, Lagos, or Dakar.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
The EU’s €12 million SCOPE Africa initiative represents a critical investment in West Africa’s economic future by addressing a fundamental vulnerability: port security. With nearly 90% of African trade flowing through maritime routes, the four-year programme targeting 10 major ports across nine countries isn’t just about preventing piracy or smuggling—it’s about unlocking regional competitiveness.
Insecure, inefficient ports repel investors and shipping lines, costing Africa up to $50 billion annually in illicit financial flows alone. By strengthening security standards, training personnel, and fostering regional cooperation, SCOPE Africa aims to transform these maritime gateways from vulnerability points into engines of growth—a prerequisite for Africa’s ambitions under the Continental Free Trade Area.
The success or failure of this initiative will directly impact whether West Africa can translate its strategic coastal position into sustainable economic development.
