Truckers, operators clash as Apapa gridlock returns,
•Operators lose N100bn due to congestion —NCJTFLCA
•AMATO blames Strait of Hormuz disruption
•Gridlock under control — TTP
By Efe Onodjae
LAGOS— FRESH concerns have emerged over the return of the Apapa gridlock as key stakeholders in the maritime and logistics sector passed the buck over the persistent congestion choking access roads to the country’s busiest ports.
The renewed traffic crisis has reportedly cost operators an estimated N100 billion, according to the National Compliance Joint Task Force of Licensed Clearing Agents, NCJTFLCA, while the Association of Maritime Truck Owners, AMATO, attributed the situation to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite these claims, the Traffic Transit Point, TTP, engaged to manage truck movement in the Apapa corridor, insisted that the situation was under control.
Recall that the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, in 2021 entered into a five-year agreement with TTP as part of efforts to ensure seamless traffic.
The electronic call-up system, popularly known as “Eto,” which was introduced to address the longstanding gridlock challenges in the area, expired in February 2026.
When our correspondent visited the Apapa Port last week, he observed that there was traffic around the axis.
Operators lose N100bn due to congestion—NCJTFLCA
In a chat with Vanguard, the President of NCJTFLCA, Basil Nwolisa, argued that Nigeria’s port challenges are not unique but are being mishandled locally.
Nwolisa said: “Nigeria is not the only country where goods are cleared from ports. Consignments come in bulk, even in countries without vast land space, yet they operate seamlessly.
“The problem here is the ETO policy and the operations of TTP. What we are seeing is a system designed to create loopholes for settlements, forcing operators to pay money to move their trucks.
“The current congestion is costing practitioners hundreds of billions of naira weekly in unofficial payments and bribes.
“If the authorities are serious about solving this problem, traffic would flow smoothly. Right now, it appears there is confusion and a lack of direction. They should engage the National Compliance Joint Task Force and empower us to manage truck movement into and out of the ports. We can handle it efficiently.
“The system is being manipulated to allow interference, extortion, and bribery. It is a challenging task, no doubt, but if the contract is properly implemented, we can resolve the issue within two months.
Everything would be scheduled properly; you would receive information, come in, load or offload, and leave without delays. TTP is not meant to be a parking system for trucks.”
AMATO blames Strait of Hormuz disruption
Also speaking, the General Secretary of AMATO, Sani Mohammed, attributed the congestion at the Apapa port corridor to the crisis in the Middle East, which, he said, has disrupted global shipping routes and reduced vessel availability for cargo evacuation in Nigeria.
Mohammed said: “The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted maritime shipping logistics. It has affected the availability of vessels for the evacuation of imports and exports of containers. Nigeria has an export promotion drive policy of the Federal Government. We have a lot of exports going to the Middle East and other countries. Most of these boxes get to these locations. Most of these boxes are export containers.
“Congestion at the ports is the root cause of the visible gridlock along the port corridor. As soon as shipping companies deploy vessels to evacuate export and empty containers, all this gridlock will disappear.”
Gridlock under control — TTP
On his part, the spokesperson for TTP, Nancie Nandi, explained that occasional traffic build-ups should not be interpreted as a collapse of the system.
Nandi said: “We wouldn’t describe the current situation as a return to gridlock. The Ètò electronic call-up system is still active and doing what it was designed to do, which is bringing order and structure to truck movement in and around the ports.
“At times, you may notice some build-up, but these are usually temporary and often linked to delays at the terminals, like slower cargo handling or processing issues.
“To be clear, TTP hasn’t given up on managing traffic in Apapa. We remain fully engaged and committed to keeping the system running efficiently and improving it where necessary.”
NPA keeps mum
Efforts to get a response from the spokesperson of the NPA proved abortive as SMS and calls put across to him were ignored.
The post Truckers, operators clash as Apapa gridlock returns appeared first on Vanguard News.
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FRESH concerns have emerged over the return of the Apapa gridlock as key stakeholders in the maritime and logistics sector passed the buck over the persistent congestion choking access roads to the country’s busiest ports.
The post Truckers, operators clash as Apapa gridlock returns appeared first on Vanguard News.
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