Operators and stakeholders at the Lagos Port have expressed concerns over the resurgence of severe gridlock in the Apapa Port area, following what they called the Electronic Call-Up (or e-Call-Up) system?s breakdown due to racketeering and extortion at various checkpoints by touts and the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA.

The concerned stakeholders, who have continued to complain daily, particularly along the Ijora-Apapa Port access roads, attributed the situation to the ?uncontrolled and biased system? for truck passage into the port, occasioned by the call-up racketeering, shunning of rules, and policy inconsistencies that have crippled commercial activities.

Recall that a series of initiatives had been deployed by both the Federal and Lagos Governments, respectively, to resolve the Apapa gridlock.

The e-call-up system was introduced as a major initiative to permanently solve the gridlock on roads through effective vehicular movement electronically.

Some of the previous initiatives included the creation of truck parks, a special truck lane, restricting truck movements to a specified time zone, creating special tasks, and intervention by Nigerian Security Forces. Available evidence, however, revealed that the initiatives have failed to address the problem, despite their good intentions.

The latest gridlock has crippled commercial and private activities at the ports, leading to the breakdown of law and order in the axis.

Checks by Vanguard on Friday, October 23, 2025, witnessed a chaotic gridlock caused by a long queue of trucks that extended beyond the Marine Bridge.

The gridlock, coupled with the ongoing rehabilitation work on Marine Bridge, could be seen to stretch from NPA to the Sifax end on a daily basis, thereby bringing vehicular movement to a standstill.

Some union members and touts, wearing green vests, were seen opposite the Area B Police Command, blocking the access road, apparently, collecting the usual ticket fee from truckers.

?Trucks parked on the road for several days waiting to access the port, thereby locking up the entire area with ripple effects on the nation?s economy,? Sheriff Abdullai, a trucker, lamented.

Abdullai said: ?The e-call-up system is causing artificial gridlock in Apapa. We spent over two days at LillyPond Truck Park, managed by the Transit Truck Parks Limited, TTP, to get an e-Call Up ticket.

And depending on how well you are able to grease their palms will depend on your stay in the park.

And if you succeed in leaving the park, you can spend another two days to access the port due to racketeering and extortion at various check points being run by touts and port agents.

?At the end of the day, you might end up spending over N80,000. At each check points, you can pay an amount ranging from N5,000 to N20,000 depending on the content of the truck. If it?s export, it?s more and if it?s flatbed, it?s at reduced cost. There are over 200 trucks being attended to daily.

?To have access to the port from the transit park, you have to pay between the sum of N50,00 and N70,000 to get the call-up ticket.

?There are two lanes created along the road to the port. They are called the fast and normal lanes. The collectors are often stationed at Airways, AMACO Building, otherwise known as Nnewi Building, Eleganza Roundabout, Mr. Biggs Junction, and Flour Mills Junction. These are the issues we are facing daily.?

Earlier, the Association of Maritime Truck Owners, AMATO, also raised concerns over the gridlock in Apapa.

Speaking to Vanguard, AMATO?s Secretary, Mr Sani Mohammed, attributed the current worsening situation to a discriminatory call-up system that frustrates truckers adhering to due process while favouring others.

Mohammed explained that trucks with call-up tickets worth N21,500 are being detained for extended periods at pre-gates, forcing importers to spend millions on revalidating Terminal Delivery Orders, TDOs.

He also alleged that the delays benefit a select group of truckers making multiple trips under the evacuation call-up system and barge operators, leaving other truckers stranded.

?When overstayed trucks are eventually released from pre-gates, they are left to loiter around the port corridor in search of TDOs.

?This is when authorities such as LASTMA, the Police, the NPA, and the Task Force swoop in, towing these trucks and imposing exorbitant penalty fees on drivers who are actually victims of a flawed system.

?It is unfortunate that we are caught in this web of discriminatory policies. Many of the trucks being detained at pre-gates are also serving the economy, yet they are being sidelined while others gain unhindered access to the ports.

?Apapa is gradually slipping back into a traffic nightmare,? Mohammed warned.

Also, one of the port operators, owner of a truck dealership company, Mr Nnamdi Hamzat, said the three truck parks, LillyPond, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, ABAT, Orile Iganmu, and Ijora-Iganmu, are functional but are involved in e-call up racketeering.

?The operators of these parks are agents of NPA; they contribute to the gridlock. There is coordination between the operators and NPA on when to release trucks for access,? he lamented.

Also commenting on the development, Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Transportation Logistics, Mr Hassan Adekoya, said: ?NPA?s policies and practices are inadvertently enabling extortion, resulting in significant gridlock and congestion at ports.

?Despite repeated attempts to address this issue, the focus remains on sustaining checkpoints. Recently, it has come to light that around 90 per cent of trucks are purchasing NPA tickets in the black market instead of using designated truck parks.

?To curb this act, I strongly believe that NPA officers should focus on their core mandate rather than manning road checkpoints. I suggest the NSA reassigns these officers to more productive roles, such as farm security under the Ministry of Agriculture.

?Unless the National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, intervenes, this issue will worsen the cost of living and hinder the government?s economic stabilization efforts of visionary leader, Governor Sanwo-Olu.

?The Lagos State Governor has demonstrated strong political will to tackle this issue, but the NPA?s stance is counterproductive. We urge the NSA and the Federal Government to step in and support the efforts to say No to extortion in the maritime sector.?

Meanwhile, the Port Manager, Mr. Debor Ibrahim, could not be reached for comment via his mobile phone at press time.

However, NPA, had recently suspended the movement of all trucks from designated pre-gate areas into the Lagos Port Complex (LPC) pending the clearance of the current backlog of cargoes at the terminals.

In a notice to stakeholders, NPA, through its technical partner, TTP, explained that the move was aimed at easing congestion along the port access routes.

The NPA added that the operational restriction is a temporary measure and that the pre-gates will be reopened once the terminals have sufficient space to accommodate additional trucks.

The statement read in part: ?The Nigerian Ports Authority has directed a temporary hold on the release of trucks from all pre-gates serving the Lagos Port Complex, LPC, until further notice.

?The measure is to facilitate the clearance of congestion along the port access route. Please note that this operational measure is temporary. The pre-gates will be reopened as soon as the terminals absorb all the trucks on the roads.

?We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work with relevant authorities to restore normal operations. Updates will be provided as they become available.? (Vanguard)

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