Russia launches new shipping route to boost trade with West Africa

In mid-June 2025, Russia will commence a direct shipping route from Novorossiysk on the Black Sea to Lagos, Nigeria’s largest port city. This initiative aims to deepen trade between Russia and West Africa, specifically facilitating trade with landlocked Mali. The project is being led by A7 Holding, founded by Andrey Severilov, who previously co-owned the Russian shipping firm FESCO. This new route will utilize two chartered container ships, each with the capacity for 700 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). Maxim Petrov, Russia’s trade representative in Nigeria, has also confirmed that the shipping corridor will enhance the export of agricultural products and equipment from Russia to Mali, while simultaneously allowing for the import of Malian cotton. The interest in Russian agricultural goods is growing in Mali, where businesses show high demand for supplies and equipment from Russia. Additionally, the agreement is expected to facilitate an increase in trade turnover, as the total harvest of cotton in Mali is substantial, exceeding 650,000 tons annually. Russia’s trade with African nations has notably surged in recent years. Recent data indicates that Moscow's food safety authority, Rosselkhoznadzor, reported significant increases in wheat supplies to Africa early this year, with shipments to Nigeria multiplying fourfold compared to previous records. The shipping route to Nigeria marks another strategic move after FESCO launched a similar container route to Kenya in December 2023. That route is designed for exporting building materials, fertilizers, and other products from Russia to Africa while importing Kenyan agricultural commodities back to Russia. Moscow's ambitions in Africa go beyond mere trade, as the region has increasingly become a central focus of Russia's global strategy. This aligns with a broader trend where Russia is enhancing its presence and influence in West Africa, resonating with shifts in global power dynamics. Combatting Western dominance, Russia is not only looking to accommodate trade relations but is also extending its political footprint, particularly through initiatives that reinforce security ties with African nations grappling with regional instability. Ultimately, with the establishment of this trade corridor, Russia forges deeper ties in West Africa, which inevitably presents challenges for Western influence as Moscow seeks to gain strategic footholds in various African regions.