For over a decade, Lagos ports’ corridors experienced the worst traffic nightmare, as a chaotic maze of trucks and touts crippled trade and productivity, costing the economy trillions in losses. Not only did the nation lose its maritime status hub, but it also lost investors’ confidence as businesses were taken to neighbouring countries. But sanity is gradually returning due to the deployment of Eto and electronic barrier systems at port access roads. ADAKU ONYENUCHEYA reports.
For decades, Apapa and Tin Can Island port corridors were a nightmare for vehicles and commuters. Traffic gridlock crippled trade, drained productivity and paralysed activities, causing businesses to shut down due to losses.
Industry estimates showed that the gridlock cost the economy over N20 billion daily, which was attributed to the poor road conditions, coupled with the lack of parking lots for trucks and the proliferation of tank farms along the ports corridor.
The resultant effect was a backlog of cargoes at the port. Cargoes that should exit the port within three days after discharge from the ship remained in the port for as long as 21 days, waiting for trucks.
Congestion sprang up as trucks had to spend as much as 10 days to cover a short distance of less than five kilometres to enter the port to drop off or take delivery of cargo.
The situation sparked concerns as residents and surviving businesses relocated to other parts of Lagos, causing the ever-busy trade corridor to become a shadow of itself.
Investors and importers diverted cargoes to ports in Togo, Ghana, Benin Republic and Côte d’Ivoire, due to the high demurrage, terminal charges and storage fees incurred in billions daily, thereby costing Nigeria’s economy about N1trillion yearly, according to the Shippers’ Association Lagos State (SALS) industry data.
At the peak of the traffic gridlock in 2018 and 2019, measures put in place to resolve the perennial problem failed until the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Truck Transit Parks Limited (TTP) introduced the Electronic Call-Up system, also known as Ètò.
The Ètò system, developed and managed by TTP Limited, is a digital truck scheduling and access management platform designed to streamline traffic into and out of Nigerian ports.
Despite initial resistance by entrenched interests, the NPA fully enforced the system, bringing back sanity to businesses, commuters and residents who ply the roads daily.
The NPA and TTP also fully deployed electronic barrier systems across all terminal access points within the Lagos Port Complex, which has recorded major improvements in port traffic management.
The electronic barrier systems at port access roads offer enhanced security, improved traffic management, increased efficiency and significant cost savings.
By replacing or supplementing manual processes, Ètò has provided a more reliable and modern solution for controlling and monitoring port entry points.
To implement the electronic call-up system, the NPA, in collaboration with the Lagos State Government and other relevant stakeholders, developed about 29 truck parks across Lagos State.
All of the 29 truck parks have fully deployed the Eto infrastructure, which includes automated gating systems and other information technology (IT) equipment.
However, the electronic call-up has been able to streamline cargo evacuation and truck movements, thereby bringing a level of sanity to the roads. Notwithstanding, there are a few isolated cases where some truck drivers try to subvert the system by not adhering strictly to the truck manifest requirement.
Addressing connectivity challenges
ASIDE from the call-up system, the authority is promoting multi-modal transport systems through the use of railways and barges for the movement of cargo in and out of the ports.
To ensure the effective use, the NPA started enforcing the use of railways in the movement of import and export cargoes in and out of states in the hinterland.
The development has tremendously reduced congestion at most terminals at the ports, thereby helping to improve port efficiency.
Recently, a Kano-based exporter moved about 100 tonnes of millet directly from Kano to Lagos Port via rail, which also had passengers on board the coaches.
“I spent almost 50 per cent less on haulage cost to move my millets in containers from Kano Railway Station to Lagos Port. If these cargoes are to be moved by trucks, the goods worth millions of naira would have cost me more,” said the exporter, who did not give his name.
The Managing Director of NPA, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, said many barge operators have been licensed by the authority to ensure effective and safe operation.
He said a regulatory framework has also been developed, which looks into the state of the barges being deployed.
“When we approved the deployment of the barges, we discovered that many of them did not have communication equipment and we directed them to install such equipment. We also insist that these barges must be seaworthy before they are allowed to sail to forestall a situation where they break down in the middle of the channels, which could cause disruptions,” he said.
Containing congestion crisis
CONGESTION at the port became troubling to importers and exporters, with the influx of empty containers abandoned at the ports.
The Sea Empowerment and Research Centre (SERC) had raised the alarm that about 100,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of empty containers were littering Nigerian ports.
Concerned by the menace, the NPA introduced a new policy for the management of empty containers.
This policy compels shipping lines to take back at least 80 per cent of the loaded containers that they came with for every voyage in empties and export cargo.
This was made possible following the full deployment of electronic barrier systems in all terminal access points.
A digital solution to years of chaos
THE system, which became fully operational in September 2025, is now a key part of daily port operations, ensuring that only authorised trucks with valid Ètò-issued call-up tickets can access designated terminals.
Integrated with the Ètò Electronic Call-Up System, the barriers have added a new layer of physical enforcement to digital scheduling, strengthened gate control, improved traffic coordination, enhanced the accuracy of port data, and overall traffic flow within the port.
Before the deployment of the integrated barrier system, the port operations were hampered by unauthorised truck diversions between terminals, with vehicles crossing from one terminal to another outside their scheduled bookings, idle trucks lingering in the port area seeking unscheduled jobs and congestion caused by non-compliance with standard operating procedures.
The barrier system has effectively closed these loopholes, providing a robust physical enforcement layer for the Ètò platform. Each barrier automatically lifts only for trucks with verified call-up tickets assigned to a specific terminal, ensuring that all movements are scheduled, controlled, and traceable.
Enhanced control, data integrity
ACCORDING to the NPA, the deployment of electronic barriers represents a major leap in its automation of port operations.
The General Manager, Operations, Mrs Stella Oladiran, in a statement, said that, for years, unauthorised truck movements and human interference undermined efficiency in port operations.
According to her, with the barrier system now active, the authority has end-to-end control from the point of booking to terminal access and exit.
“Key benefits already recorded include improved end-to-end control of the electronic call-up process, from booking to terminal exit, data integrity and accuracy in tracking port traffic and truck movements, transparent monitoring of inter-terminal traffic for better accountability and enhanced port productivity and efficiency through precise truck scheduling,” she explained.
How the system works
EACH terminal gate is equipped with a fully automated electronic barrier connected to the Ètò platform.
Trucks with valid Ètò tickets are automatically verified and granted access. Unauthorised trucks are denied entry, eliminating manual checks and reducing human interference.
The system provides real-time data on every truck’s entry, exit, and inter-terminal movement, enabling better coordination across the entire logistics chain.
Stakeholders’ reaction
PORT Manager, Lagos Port Complex, Adebowale Lawal, said the NPA, in line with its mandate to ensure the smooth operation of port activities and the free flow of traffic around the Apapa Port Complex Corridor, remained fully committed to maintaining order and preventing any recurrence of the severe gridlock previously experienced along the access roads.
“We have recently undertaken a review and enhancement of the Eto system, which now integrates Terminal Gates directly with the Eto platform. This integration is designed to provide a structured sequencing of truck movements, both inbound and outbound, within the Apapa Port Complex. The objective of this initiative is to ensure transparency, improve traffic efficiency, and maintain a sustainable operating environment around the ports.
“However, the success of this system depends largely on the cooperation and compliance of all Stakeholders, including Terminal Operators, Transport Unions, Drivers, Clearing Agents, and Government Agencies (Both Federal and State),” he stated.
On his part, the Chairman of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Remi Ogungbemi, lauded the system, stating that the current traffic situation around the Apapa port corridor reflects improved discipline, better enforcement, and enhanced cooperation among stakeholders.
“All the road arteries leading to the Apapa Port, including Wharf Road, Creek Road, and other adjoining routes, remain orderly and passable. At present, trucks are moving in a single, regulated lane towards their designated terminals within the port in compliance with traffic and safety directives.”
“We remain committed to continuous collaboration with relevant government agencies, traffic management authorities, and terminal operators to sustain the gains achieved so far in port access management,” he stated.
In his reaction, the General Manager of Corporate and Strategic Communications, NPA Ikechukwu Onyemekara, said the era of all forms of illegality of the past, as it concerns truck access to the ports, is over.
He said meddlesome interlopers would always find a way to discredit the NPA, adding that the authority was committed to its mandate of ensuring port efficiency.
“The electronic call-up system is a global best practice, and in addition, with the electronic barrier being in place at all terminals, practices that encourage chaos along the port corridor will not be possible anymore.
