AD Ports Group has joined a 30-year concession to develop and operate a new dry bulk terminal at the Port of Douala in Cameroon, deepening its footprint in West and Central Africa.

The Abu Dhabi-based operator is partnering with Africa Ports Development (APD) on the project, which will see a new terminal built at Cameroon’s main maritime gateway. Douala handles around 80% of the country’s bulk cargo and roughly 85% of its overall trade volumes, while also serving as a transit hub for landlocked Central African states.

Under the agreed structure, AD Ports Group and two other UAE investors will hold a combined 60% stake in the operating company, alongside APD’s 40%. The arrangement gives AD Ports an effective economic interest of 51%.

Phase one of the project will involve an investment of about AED320m ($87m), covering the construction of two berths and around 450 metres of quay wall. The initial design capacity is set at about 4m tonnes per year, handling cargoes including clinker, gypsum, fertiliser and grain.

Construction is scheduled to run from 2026 to 2028 in coordination with the Port Authority of Douala, which has been pursuing a broader modernisation and specialisation drive at the port.

The new facility is expected to generate up to 4,000 direct and indirect jobs, supporting both port operations and related logistics and industrial activity.

For AD Ports, the move adds another African asset to a growing portfolio that already spans Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Kenya, Tanzania, Angola and the Republic of the Congo. The group has been steadily building its presence across the continent through concessions, joint ventures and logistics investments.

The Douala project also highlights continued investor appetite for African bulk infrastructure, particularly in markets where rising imports of construction materials, agricultural inputs and foodstuffs are driving demand for dedicated terminals. Once operational, the terminal is expected to ease congestion, improve turnaround times and strengthen Douala’s position as a key gateway for Central Africa.