For years, Apapa Port was Nigeria’s worst traffic nightmare — a chaotic maze of trucks and touts that crippled trade and drained productivity. But today, sanity has returned, thanks to the Nigerian Ports Authority’s (NPA) deployment of the Ètò Electronic Call-Up System and electronic barriers that now regulate truck movements into and out of Lagos ports.
The Ètò system, developed by Trucks Transit Parks Limited (TTP), is a digital traffic management platform that schedules and monitors trucks entering port terminals. What began as a desperate intervention has become a nationwide model for automated access control and real-time logistics coordination.
A Digital Solution to Years of Chaos
At the heart of the transformation is a network of electronic barriers across all Lagos Port Complex terminals. These barriers lift only for trucks with valid Ètò-issued call-up tickets, ensuring that every truck movement is scheduled, verified, and traceable.
“The barrier system gives us end-to-end control — from booking to terminal exit,” said Mrs. Stella Oladiran, NPA’s General Manager, Operations. “We now have accurate data on every truck’s movement, improved accountability, and far less human interference. Efficiency has become measurable.”
Before this reform, port operations were crippled by unauthorised truck diversions, fake call-up slips, and idle vehicles loitering around Apapa in search of unscheduled jobs. The Ètò platform and barrier integration have closed those loopholes, restoring order and slashing costs for transporters and exporters alike.
Stakeholders Applaud Improved Discipline
Port stakeholders have praised the initiative as a “game changer.” According to Mr. Adebowale Lawal, Port Manager of the Lagos Port Complex, Ètò has introduced a structured, transparent process for truck entry and exit.
“We have integrated terminal gates with the Ètò platform to regulate truck movement in and out of the ports,” Lawal said. “What you now see along Apapa roads is not gridlock but disciplined, sequenced truck movement. With cooperation from unions and operators, we can sustain this order permanently.”
Chairman of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi, dismissed reports of gridlock resurgence, describing them as “false and misleading.”
“All routes to Apapa — Wharf Road, Creek Road, and adjoining arteries — are free and orderly,” he said. “Trucks now move in a single regulated lane toward their terminals. That’s order, not congestion. The system is working, and we commend NPA and TTP for sustaining the gains.”
Automation Beyond the Port Gates
NPA’s automation drive extends beyond traffic control. The authority has revived rail and barge operations to reduce pressure on road transport.
A Kano-based exporter recently reported moving 100 tons of millet to Lagos Port via rail at nearly 50 per cent less cost than trucking. “If I used trucks, the haulage would have cost me double,” he said.
NPA has also introduced a new empty-container management policy, mandating shipping lines to evacuate at least 80 per cent of their loaded containers as empties or export cargo.
“We’ve licensed more barge operators but ensure only those with proper safety and communication equipment are allowed to operate,” an NPA official added. “This prevents breakdowns that could disrupt navigation.”
Analysts: ‘Ètò Restored Confidence in Port Logistics’
Maritime experts say the Ètò system has achieved more than traffic decongestion — it has restored investor confidence in Nigeria’s logistics ecosystem.
“What NPA has done is to establish predictability,” said Dr. Friday Akpan, a port development analyst. “Investors now trust that cargo movement is traceable and reliable. The system’s transparency is the real reform.”
He added that the electronic barriers reinforce digital monitoring with physical enforcement, ensuring complete control over terminal operations. “Every truck’s journey is logged and auditable. That’s how ports in advanced economies operate,” he noted.
NPA: The Era of Illegality Is Over
Reacting to claims by vested interests hoping to discredit the reform, NPA’s General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, reaffirmed the Authority’s resolve to maintain order.
“The era of illegal port access and tout-driven operations is over,” he said. “The Ètò system and electronic barriers have institutionalised efficiency. Those who profited from chaos are behind the false reports, but the reforms are irreversible.”
He added that NPA would continue collaborating with all genuine stakeholders to sustain efficiency. “We are open to feedback and continuous system improvement, but our goal remains clear — transparent, globally competitive port operations,” he said.
A Model for African Ports
With the success of Ètò at the Lagos Port Complex, plans are underway to replicate the model in Tin Can Island, Onne, and Calabar Ports. Analysts believe the innovation positions Nigeria as a reference point in port automation across Africa.
From gridlock to order, the Apapa corridor’s transformation is proof that technology and political will can solve even the toughest systemic problems. For the first time in years, Lagos Port is moving again — in line, on schedule, and under control.
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