Haulage operators seek support to establish 5,000 capacity truck yard
The absence of parking facilities for trucks and tankers, as well as poor infrastructure, appears to be leading to congestion on Lagos port access roads, delaying the movement of import and export cargo.
Container trucks and petroleum tankers continue to convert service lanes and main carriageways into parking lots along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, stretching through the Tin Can Island and Apapa port corridors, defying efforts to clear the hydra-headed traffic gridlock.
Port users have expressed growing frustration over regulatory inaction, deteriorating infrastructure and persistent operational bottlenecks that continue to plague Nigeria’s maritime industry.
According to stakeholders, the development of modern parking facilities alongside improved port infrastructure would significantly ease traffic pressure and enhance trucking efficiency.
The Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) has urged relevant authorities to move beyond short-term fixes and support the development of a centralised truck marshalling yard near Lagos ports.
The President of AMATO, Oluremi Ogungbemi, described the persistent gridlock around Apapa and Tin Can Island ports as a symptom of deeper infrastructural neglect, particularly the lack of a large-scale parking facility for trucks.
Ogungbemi further noted that the trucking sector continues to grapple with a “perfect storm” of challenges, including rising vehicle maintenance costs, deteriorating road conditions, ineffective regulatory enforcement and a fledgling electronic call-up system lacking the infrastructure to succeed.
According to him, AMATO has identified a viable site just three kilometres from the port corridor, capable of accommodating up to 5,000 trucks, stating that the association lacks the financial capacity to undertake the project independently.
He emphasised that the initiative, if supported, could radically transform the logistics ecosystem and boost overall port efficiency.
Calling for a sustainable strategic policy shift, Ogungbemi proposed a three-pronged approach: the construction of functional truck parks, targeted support for truck replacement schemes, and urgent rehabilitation of key road networks.
Meanwhile, the Maritime Researchers and Authors Association of Nigeria (MARASSON) has credited the breakthrough in decongesting the notorious Apapa Port access road to decisive actions taken by the Lagos State Truck and Cargo Operators Committee (LASTCOC).
The National Secretary of MARASSON, Ajanonwu Vincent, said LASTCOC’s leadership enforced a non-negotiable condition banning truck drivers from parking along expressways leading to the ports, an initiative that finally led to the long-awaited clearing of the chaotic corridors that had crippled trade and logistics for years.
Vincent called for urgent government intervention to review and address expired concession agreements involving several terminal operators at Nigerian ports.
The group also urged the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy to immediately reconstruct the long-collapsed quay apron at the Five Star Logistics Terminal, which they said has remained submerged for over eight years.
Vincent warned that continued inaction could erode investor confidence and undermine Nigeria’s competitiveness in global maritime trade.
MARASSON further decried alleged extortion and overbilling associated with the Electronic Call-Up System, describing its current implementation as “an embarrassment to international trade in Nigeria”.
