Dubai’s DP World and ITOCHU partner to help Japanese businesses access Africa

Dubai-based DP World will partner with Japan’s ITOCHU Corporation, one of the largest trading companies in the country, to help explore opportunities to enhance connectivity and market access across Africa and support Japanese businesses that intend to establish or grow their presence on the continent.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed during the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) held in Yokohama, Japan, and aims to expand logistics, supply chain infrastructure, and distribution capabilities in sub-Saharan Africa. Initial discussions are focused on fleet and logistics operations, supply chain optimisation, and distribution of commodities and food products.

Headquartered in Tokyo, ITOCHU has decades of experience in commodities, wholesale trade, and consumer goods across Africa. Its diversified portfolio spans textiles, machinery, energy, chemicals, foods, and general consumer goods, giving it a strong foundation to support Japanese businesses expanding into Africa.

DP World operates in 48 countries across the continent with a wide network of ports, terminals and logistics assets from warehouses to trucks. The company has invested over US$3 billion in infrastructure development, with a further US$3 billion planned over the next three to five years. These investments are designed to drive economic growth, boost intra-Africa trade and better connect African markets to global supply chains.

Beat Simon, DP World’s Group Chief Operating Officer, Logistics, commented: “Africa represents one of the most dynamic growth frontiers for global trade. This collaboration with ITOCHU reflects a shared vision to unlock value by combining our infrastructure and logistics expertise with ITOCHU’s commercial experience to create deeper connections between Africa and Japan.”

Shinya Ishizuka, CEO of Africa Bloc, ITOCHU Corporation, added: “We hope that this collaboration will not only lead to further projects between the two parties, but also serve as a bridge between Japanese companies seeking to expand into Africa and the African market.”