The Hobyo-Port Initiative (Courtesy of MyProperty)
Pretty recently, Turkish builders have been all about turning African air and sea ports into some real head-turners.
Summa Construction is knee-deep in airport ventures in Nigeria. Meanwhile, Metag Holding, hailing from Ankara, inked a $70 million blueprint to spruce up Hobyo Port, Somalia’s mighty second-largest.
These Turkish enterprises are grabbing the spotlight with their big plays in boosting African airwaves and waterways. “Metag Holding’s freshly inked pact looks to jazz up Mogadishu Port, a heartbeat for Somali trade,” they declare.
Working alongside the local Hobyo Investment Company, Metag plans to morph Hobyo Port into a bustling trade nexus, easing the load on Mogadishu Port and unlocking fresh trade paths to Ethiopia and Djibouti. In the Galmudug region with a modest crowd of 11,000, Hobyo will be a sea-link lifeline.
A Long Haul for Development
Ahmed Abdi Kariye, maestro of Somalia’s Galmudug State, stressed, “This port won’t just pep up our regional economy, but it’ll juice up trade and connectedness for the whole nation.”
The deal allows Metag to call the shots for an epic 80 years, and they’re aiming for the port to open shop in three years post construction.
This Hobyo venture’s been on the back burner for ages, with Qatar-backed interests sniffing around in 2020 for a public-private gig that fizzled out.
Türkiye’s Hands in Somalia’s Maritime Pie
Türkiye is doubling down on Somalia’s maritime game, teaming up with Metag while Albayrak Group keeps the wheels turning at Mogadishu Port. Albayrak’s been the boss since 2014 when they snagged a 20-year lease for the Alport Mogadishu venture. As East Africa’s key trade portal, Mogadishu Port is Somalia’s link to the world.
Stepping Up in Africa
Just last week, word got out about Summa Construction talking shop for an airport in Nigeria. After nailing projects in Niger, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, and Sierra Leone, Summa’s itching to tackle the Lekki-Epe International Airport in Nigeria. Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu popped over to Türkiye to rap with Summa’s kingpin, Selim Bora.
Summa jumped into Africa’s airport scene with Senegal’s Blaise Diagne in 2017. Since then, they’ve spread their wings in places like Niger’s airport in 2019, Diffa in 2021, and Sierra Leone’s Freetown Airport just last year. They’re also pushing forward with the Osvaldo Vieira Airport in Guinea-Bissau, a project that took off in 2023.
While Turkish outfits burrow deeper into Africa’s infrastructure, there’s ample room for growth and teamwork, especially in the burgeoning aviation and maritime worlds.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
