Nigerian entrepreneur Aisha Maina has secured a landmark $40 million investment backed by Afreximbank to develop a deep-water port in St. Kitts, a move poised to reshape trade routes between Africa and the Caribbean.
The project, which includes a 10-square-kilometre special economic zone for agro-processing, light manufacturing, and bonded warehousing, aims to create thousands of jobs across both regions. Feasibility studies are set to begin in August, with financial close expected by Q1 2026.
The port will serve as a new commercial gateway, eliminating the need for costly European detours and offering African exporters direct, faster access to Caribbean markets with digital customs integration.
Aisha Maina, managing director of Aquarian Consult and founder of Gemini Integrated Commodities, is not just funding infrastructure, she’s building relationships. In parallel with the port initiative, she is leading a high-level trade mission across Grenada, Jamaica, and Trinidad.
The delegation is focused on unlocking cross-border partnerships in agribusiness, manufacturing, and professional services.
Her bold initiative embodies South-South cooperation in action and highlights Nigeria’s growing influence in shaping equitable global trade corridors.
“This is about more than logistics. It’s about African producers finally having direct access to a region that shares our history, values, and ambition,” said Nigerian entrepreneur Aisha Maina.
The port is expected to attract an additional $300 million in private investment, reinforcing St. Kitts & Nevis’ strategic position as a logistics hub connecting 19 African and 12 Caribbean Commonwealth nations.
One Week, Three Strategic Touchpoints
1. Port signing in Grenada — 28 July
At the Afreximbank Afri-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum in Grenada, Maina co-signed a USD 40 million Letter of Interest with Afreximbank and the Government of St Kitts & Nevis.
Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew witnessed the signing, while Samal Duggins, minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, signed for the island nation.
The agreement finances a Panamax-capable deep-water port in Basseterre and a ten-square-kilometre special economic zone for agro-processing and light assembly.
“Africa and the Caribbean need assets, not just aspirations. With this port we move from promise to throughput, from talk to tonnage. It is the physical backbone of a trade bridge that has been too long in the making,” Maina said on stage.
Duggins added,
“Fresh off the Afri-Caribbean Exchange, I proudly signed a landmark Letter of Interest with Afreximbank. Facility after facility, deal after deal, we are not just talking transformation; we are delivering it. The vision is clear, the progress is real, and the future is now.”
2. Caribbean Investment Forum in Jamaica — 30 July
From Kingston’s main stage, Maina confirmed that feasibility and environmental studies for the Basseterre port will begin in August. She outlined a corridor that cuts Lagos-to-Basseterre sailing times to about seven days, eliminating costly European detours.
“If private sector does not take charge of the process, we will remain where we have been. Retreat or defeat are not options,” she told delegates.
3. Trans-Atlantis Symposium in Trinidad — 1 August
Maina closed the week in Port of Spain, delivering the keynote “Why Caribbean and Africa Trade and Investment and Economic Cooperation Matter” at the Trans-Atlantis Trade and Investment Symposium organised by the Emancipation Support Committee of Trinidad and Tobago.
She connected port logistics, economic-zone clustering and new financing tools to broader goals of youth employment, food security and diversified exports.
Project Snapshot
| Metric | Detail |
| Initial finance | USD 40 million |
| Berth capacity | One Panamax berth, expandable to two |
| Construction jobs | 600 direct positions |
| Follow-on capital | USD 300 million projected private investment |
| Studies launch | August 2025 |
| Financial close | Q1 2026 |
| First container | Q4 2028 |
Regional and Global Implications
- Shorter transit times— Direct sailings remove European detours and lower freight costs.
- Value-addition hub— The special economic zone lets African raw materials be processed closer to North American markets.
- Commonwealth relevance— One of the Commonwealth’s smallest states will host a strategic maritime asset linking 19 African and 12 Caribbean members.
- Private-capital leadership— Gemini Integrated Commodities co-invests with Afreximbank, placing execution risk on balance-sheet owners rather than policy desks.
Background
Momentum began in March with the Afri-Caribbean Investment Summit in Abuja, followed by a June charter of an Air Peace 777 carrying 120 Nigerian entrepreneurs and policymakers to Basseterre.
The Grenada signing, Kingston confirmation and Trinidad keynote now merge those earlier steps into a single infrastructure roadmap.
