AFRICA · GEOPOLITICS
Key Facts
—New player: Gulf ports in Africa are expanding fast as the UAE’s DP World and AD Ports buy into harbours across the continent.
—Wide reach: Their footprint now spans South Africa, Tanzania, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola’s Port of Luanda.
—Into the minerals belt: In February 2026, AD Ports agreed to build a multipurpose terminal at Matadi on the Congo River.
—Big money: DP World says it has invested 3 billion US dollars in Africa and pledged another 3 billion for ports over five years.
—Saudi too: Saudi Arabia holds an estimated 15.6 billion US dollars of investment across East Africa.
—The prize: Control of ports means influence over trade routes for minerals, food and energy.
Gulf ports in Africa are multiplying, as the United Arab Emirates’ DP World and AD Ports buy and build harbours from Senegal to the Congo, turning the Gulf into one of the most powerful new players in the continent’s trade.
How Gulf ports in Africa spread
Gulf ports in Africa have grown from a handful of deals into a network. The UAE’s two logistics champions, DP World and AD Ports, are buying stakes and building terminals up and down the coasts.
Their footprint already spans South Africa, Tanzania, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola’s Port of Luanda. Few other outside players move so quickly.
The model is simple. Win a concession, modernise the terminal, and tie the country’s trade to Gulf logistics.
DP World already runs terminals from Dakar in the west to Berbera on the Red Sea. Each new concession adds another link to the chain.
Into the mineral corridors
The newest deals reach into the heart of Africa’s mining belt. In February 2026, AD Ports agreed to develop a multipurpose terminal at Matadi, on the Congo River.
Matadi is the gateway for the Democratic Republic of Congo, home to some of the world’s richest copper and cobalt. Whoever moves that cargo holds real leverage.
The terminal would handle goods moving to and from the interior, including minerals bound for export. It plants the UAE firmly in Congo’s supply lines.
Other Gulf players, including Qatar and the Abu Dhabi fund ADQ, are circling similar deals. The competition among them is itself reshaping African logistics.
The money on the table
The sums are large and growing. DP World says it has already invested 3 billion US dollars in Africa and pledged another 3 billion for ports over five years.
Saudi Arabia is moving too, with an estimated 15.6 billion dollars of investment across East Africa in energy, infrastructure and farming. The Gulf is treating Africa as a strategic frontier.
Gulf sovereign funds are deploying capital that Western lenders have grown wary of committing. Speed and scale are their advantages.
Why ports, why now
Ports are chokepoints, and chokepoints are power. Control a harbour and you shape the flow of a country’s imports and exports.
The timing is no accident. As the United States and China compete for critical minerals, the Gulf is positioning itself astride the routes those metals travel.
A modern terminal can generate steady fees for decades. For the operator, it is both strategic and profitable.
A different kind of partner
For African governments, the Gulf offers capital and know-how with fewer political strings than the West attaches. It is a familiar bargain on the continent today.
In that sense the Gulf joins Russia, Turkey and China as an alternative to the old powers. Each brings money and a pitch of partnership over lecturing.
The risk for Africa is swapping one dependence for another. The benefit is competition that can drive harder bargains.
What Africa gains
There are real benefits on offer. Modern terminals cut shipping costs, ease bottlenecks and can pull in trade and jobs.
Efficient ports also help African goods compete abroad. For landlocked neighbours, a faster coast is a lifeline.
Better ports can lower the price of everything that moves through them. That feeds into the cost of food, fuel and machinery.
The risks and the debate
Not everyone is reassured. Handing strategic infrastructure to a foreign power raises questions of control and sovereignty.
There are security worries too, from the Red Sea to the Horn, where Gulf rivalries have spilled into African affairs. Transparency over the deals is often thin.
Some governments have faced criticism for signing port deals with little public scrutiny. Long concessions can be hard to unwind.
Why it matters
The lesson for an outside reader is that the scramble for Africa now has many bidders. The Gulf is among the most determined.
Whoever runs the ports helps decide how Africa trades with the world. That is why the harbours have become a prize.
For investors, the pattern signals where trade and money are heading. The Gulf is buying influence one quay at a time.
Frequently asked questions
Which Gulf companies are investing in African ports?
Mainly the UAE’s DP World and AD Ports, backed by broader Gulf and Saudi capital.
Where are Gulf ports in Africa located?
Across South Africa, Tanzania, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola, among others.
How much is the Gulf investing?
DP World says it has put 3 billion dollars into Africa and pledged another 3 billion for ports, while Saudi Arabia holds about 15.6 billion dollars in East Africa.
Why do ports matter so much?
They are chokepoints for trade, and controlling them means influence over the flow of minerals, food and energy.
Connected Coverage
The Gulf joins the rivalry charted in Africa: The New Scramble, alongside Russia’s investment push in Tanzania and the export routes opening up through Zambia’s Lobito copper railway.
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