3 min read - 23 Mar, 2026
British Steel increases production with £70m Nigerian export deal
British Steel is increasing steel production in Scunthorpe after securing one of its largest ever export orders – a £70m contract for port redevelopments in Nigeria.
The agreement, with Hitech Construction Africa, will see British Steel supply 120,000 tonnes of steel to help modernise the Tin Can Island and Lagos Apapa port complexes. It is one of the company’s largest orders for billet – semi-finished steel, which will be used for construction materials – and its largest order backed by UK Export Finance.
The billets British Steel will supply are of a 140mm rebar type grade with deliveries starting this spring and continuing over the next three years.
British Steel is increasing production in Scunthorpe after securing one of its largest ever export orders / Picture: British Steel
Allan Bell, chief executive, British Steel, said: “This is a record-breaking contract for British Steel and a major boost to our 4,000 employees and many more people in our supply chains. After government intervention last April, everyone at British Steel has worked hard to stabilise the company. This deal represents us moving from stabilisation to building long-term sustainability for the business.
“As one of the largest ever orders for billet in the history of this company, it marks a tremendous vote of confidence in British Steel and UK manufacturing. And as the biggest order we have ever secured with UK Export Finance, it demonstrates how we are working with the UK government to meet the global demand for our products.”
The development British Steel is supplying into is a flagship initiative designed to modernise Nigeria’s port infrastructure, boost operational efficiency, and expand the country’s trade capacity. The announcement was made at a ceremony in London and follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding last year. It underscores the continued strengthening of UK-Nigeria trade relations and the role of private sector partnerships in delivering vital infrastructure.
The £70m contract for port redevelopments in Nigeria will see British Steel supply 120,000 tonnes of steel / Picture: British Steel
Ronald Chagoury Jr., vice-chairman of Hitech Construction Africa, added: “Tin Can Island and Lagos Apapa ports are currently at a critical stage, as they have not undergone any significant rehabilitation since they were originally built in the mid-to-late 1900s. Our objective today is to give them a new life for at least the next 50 years, while significantly increasing their capacity and enabling them to accommodate larger vessels, faster turnaround times, and higher volumes of trade, positioning Nigeria as the regional leader in maritime logistics and supporting the country in unlocking its trillion-dollar economy.
“Steel will be a central element in ensuring the durability and long-term performance required for infrastructure of this scale. Working with British Steel brings together world-class manufacturing capability with Hitech’s experience delivering complex, large-scale infrastructure projects, creating a strong partnership for the successful delivery of this development.”
The Nigerian contract is the second major export order British Steel has secured in as many months. In February, the company announced a new order worth tens of millions of pounds for a major high-speed electric railway in Turkey.
