Courage Obadagbonyi MBA, ACA has been appointed as Managing Director of West Africa Container Terminal, marking a significant milestone in his steady rise through Nigeria’s maritime and logistics finance leadership landscape.
The appointment positions him at the helm of one of Nigeria’s key port infrastructure operators, as West Africa Container Terminal continues to play a central role in regional trade, cargo handling, and supply chain efficiency.
Obadagbonyi brings over two decades of deep financial, operational, and executive leadership experience across terminal operations, energy-linked logistics, and multinational corporate finance environments.
From CFO to Managing Director
Prior to this appointment, he served as Chief Financial Officer of APM Terminals Nigeria, where he was a strategic business partner for a $400 million terminal portfolio spanning multiple operational hubs.
In that role, he led a distributed finance function across Apapa, Onne, Kano, and San Pedro terminals, strengthening governance systems, driving cost optimization, and supporting expansion across West Africa’s critical maritime corridors.
He also previously served as Acting Managing Director of APM Terminals Apapa, stepping into executive leadership during a transformational period for one of Nigeria’s busiest ports.
His leadership tenure at APM Terminals was marked by a strong focus on operational efficiency, financial discipline, and large-scale process transformation, including lean finance restructuring and enterprise-wide performance improvement.
Breaking Barriers in Maritime Finance Leadership
Obadagbonyi made history as the first Nigerian to be appointed CFO of APM Terminals Nigeria, a landmark achievement that reflected both his technical expertise and long-term contribution to the organization’s financial architecture.
He also serves on multiple boards across the maritime and investment ecosystem, including as Non-Executive Director and Vice Chairman of the Board at Starzs Investment Company Limited, where he chairs the finance and general purpose committee.
In this capacity, he provides governance oversight, investment strategy guidance, and financial advisory support to strengthen corporate performance and long-term sustainability.
Early Career Across Global Energy and Finance Institutions
His earlier career spans major multinational organizations including GE and IHS Towers, where he held progressively senior finance roles across Sub-Saharan Africa.
At GE, he served in multiple capacities including Commercial Finance Leader for GE Gas Power Sub-Saharan Africa, CFO for GE Healthcare Sub-Saharan Africa, Financial Planning Manager for Africa, and Finance Manager in Nigeria.
Across these roles, he supported multi-country operations spanning over 20 African markets, managing forecasting, commercial structuring, cash flow governance, and enterprise risk management for billion-dollar portfolios.
He also briefly served as Finance Director at IHS Towers, one of Africa’s largest telecommunications infrastructure companies, where he contributed to strengthening commercial finance operations during a key growth phase.
Academic and Professional Credentials
Courage Obadagbonyi holds an MBA and is an Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA), combining academic grounding with professional certification in accounting and finance.
His career trajectory reflects a consistent progression from technical finance roles into senior executive leadership across global and African infrastructure industries.
Strategic Leadership at West Africa Container Terminal
As Managing Director of West Africa Container Terminal, Obadagbonyi is expected to oversee operational expansion, stakeholder engagement, and financial performance optimization across one of West Africa’s critical port assets.
His appointment underscores a broader trend of Nigerian professionals taking on top leadership roles in multinational terminal operations and infrastructure management.
