Mota-Engil Nigeria prepares for Benin Port construction, receives more equipment

Coming closely on the heel of the delivery of over 200 heavy duty machinery worth around $200m in the first week of July, Mota-Engil Nigeria, the preferred bidder for the Benin Port peoject has taken delivery of another set of equipment.

Mota-Engil Nigeria Logistics Manager, Mr. Nuno Colaço who led the company’s team and some maritime journalists to inspect the new equipment at the PTML terminal in Lagos on Wednesday reiterated Mota-Engil’s commitment to the country.

The Logistics Manager said the company now boasts of the most modern fleet of equipment in the construction industry in Nigeria and these will be deployed to its ever growing number of project sites to ensure timely and quality delivery.

This latest acquisition coincides with Mota-Engil’s emergence as the preferred bidder for the Benin Port Project which has been described as the most ambitious legacy project of the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.

Chairman of the Benin Port Project, Dr. Greg Ogbeifun had confirmed recently that the preferred bidder, Mota Engil Nigeria, emerged after a rigorous evaluation exercise conducted on the bids received in response to the Request for Proposals, from three pre-qualified bidders.

The Benin Port is designed to be a unique agro-based Port in Nigeria that encompasses a complete smart Port Community Complex for industrial processing and export of agricultural produce and other goods, with independent, clean and renewable energy installations.

The container and multipurpose terminals of the port will also have RoRo facilities to enable direct importation of vehicles for the thriving automobile industry in Edo State, among other commercial activities that would spring from the port operations.

While reacting to Mota-Engil’s emergence, Governor Obaseki said it was delightful that the project has finally kicked off in earnest to serve as a launch pad for the expansion of Edo’s $11.8 billion economy, noting that it would catalyze the growth of the agriculture, real estate, manufacturing, food processing, automotive, power, retail and extractive sectors.

“We are now set for the commencement of this landmark project, which will open a new vista of opportunities for Edo people and Nigerians in general,” he noted.

Also earlier this week, the Federal Government requested Mota-Engil Nigeria to procure Compressed National Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as against Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) engines for the Kano-Maradi rail line Rolling Stock for more environmentally-friendly operations.

While acknowledging the fact that it may not have been in the original agreement and will attract additional cost, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, while signing the Agreement on behalf of the Federal Government pointed out that it was the right way to go in checking the harmful effect of global warming.

According to her, the Federal Government decided to award the contract for the procurement of the Rolling Stock to the company at this time in order to ensure a seamless transition from construction to operational phase upon the completion of construction of the Kano – Maradi Rail line in a few years’ time.

The Managing Director, Mota-Engil Nigeria, Pedro Pereira, assured the Permanent Secretary that the request for a more environmentally-friendly energy source will be considered and complied with accordingly.

Some of the newly delivered equipment include: Sleeper’s Factory; Rail Route Tyre Excavators; Drillers; Rails; Trailers; Heavy Duty Dumpers; Bulldozers; and Motor Graders.

Apart from the $1.959 billion Kano-Maradi Standard Gauge Railway lines, Mota- Engil is constructing the Sagamu-Benin expressway, the Lagos-Badagry expressway and is the reserved bidder for the 4th Mainland bridge in Lagos.

In 2018, Shoreline Group, the Nigerian energy and industrial conglomerate founded by Nigerian business man- Kola Karim, partnered with Mota-Engil, a publicly listed Portuguese construction company, to establish Mota-Engil Nigeria.
Rated by Deloitte as one of the top 100 construction companies in the world, Mota-Engil currently operate in 28 countries in Africa, Europe and Latin America.

Founded in 1946, the Mota-Engil Group has a business record of 77 years and is active in civil construction, public works, port operations, waste management, water, and logistics.

Over the last thirty years, the Shoreline group has grown to become one of Africa’s leading conglomerates with interests in power, energy, infrastructure, engineering, agriculture, and telecom. Shoreline is also the operator of OML 30- the onshore oil block in the Western Niger-Delta.