The Secretary General of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Mohamed Sani Bala, has declared a vote of confidence in the electronic call-up system (Eto) introduced by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
Sani Bala made the remarks following a peaceful rally held by AMATO members in Apapa, where truck owners and operators commended the effectiveness of the digital platform in curbing gridlock and eliminating the chaotic conditions that once plagued port access routes.
He described it as a landmark achievement that has significantly improved traffic and logistics operations at the Apapa and Tin Can Island port corridors.
According to him, the Eto Call-up System is not just an app but a game-changer, which since its implementation has brought sanity to roads, enhanced cargo evacuation, and restored order along key logistics corridors.
Bala also criticised what he described as a “campaign of calumny” against the system, accusing detractors of seeking to return to an era when truckers were subject to exploitation and extortion under the guise of port access management.
He noted that many of those now accusing the ₦21,500 Eto system as fraud were the same individuals who previously charged truckers between ₦250,000 and ₦300,000 for port entry.
Bala further urged members of the trucking community to remain vigilant and stand firm in support of the automated call-up system.
“On behalf of the trucking community, we wish to use this peaceful rally as a platform to express our profound gratitude to the management of NPA for the deployment of the Eto Call-Up System, and to also appreciate the Lagos State Government for its vital role in enforcing compliance with the Standard Operating Procedures that underpin the system.
“The Eto Call-Up System is more than just an app. It is a game-changer and a landmark achievement in the history of Nigeria’s maritime logistics. It has ushered in a new era of automation, transparency, and efficiency in port access and truck scheduling, resolving the long-standing chaos and gridlock that plagued the Apapa and Tin Can Island logistics corridors for decades.
“Today, truckers can book port access slots remotely and affordably, from anywhere in the world, without the need to physically queue for days on end or engage with road cabals for access tags that used to cost between ₦250,000 and ₦300,000, often without any certainty of progress. The Eto system, at a flat rate of ₦21,500, has eliminated the extortion and exploitation that defined the manual era.
“Gridlock has eased, and sanity has returned to our roads and truckers no longer sleep in vehicles or die behind the wheel from exhaustion. Port corridors are now more fluid, and the environment is more hospitable.
“Import and export cargoes are evacuated seamlessly while businesses now operate on schedule. Apapa, once a ghost town, is vibrant again, with rising property values and restored community life.
“Children can now safely attend school without being stranded in traffic. This is the kind of transformational impact that meaningful reform delivers.
“We are aware that some individuals are sponsoring a campaign of calumny against the Eto system. Let it be known that these detractors are largely beneficiaries of the discredited manual system — now rendered irrelevant by automation. Their interest lies in reversing the clock to a time when truckers were extorted and exploited under the guise of port access facilitation.
“It is ironic, and frankly shameful, that those who once charged ₦250,000–₦300,000 for truck entry now accuse the ₦21,500 Eto system of being fraudulent. If they truly had truckers’ interests at heart, they would have implemented a fair and transparent system during their time.
“We urge all members of the trucking community to remain vigilant. The call-up automation is here to stay — and we must resist all attempts to undermine the progress it represents. The manual call-up system is dead and buried, and any nostalgia for that era must give way to the reality of sustainable, tech-driven port logistics.
“We say kudos to the NPA, the Lagos State Government, and TTP for bringing sanity back to our roads and ports.”
