NPA moves to decongest Lagos ports, shifts over 30% of cargo t...

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has intensified efforts to tackle traffic congestion around the Lagos ports by removing more than 1,500 illegally parked trucks and dismantling unauthorised checkpoints along the Apapa port corridors.

The Managing Director of the NPA, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, disclosed that the intervention is part of a broader strategy to restore order, improve cargo movement and eliminate extortion on port access roads.

According to him, the Authority’s special task force, working in collaboration with joint security agencies, has achieved significant progress by clearing illegally parked trucks and removing illegal toll collection points that have contributed to persistent gridlock around the ports.

Dantsoho said several operators of illegal checkpoints have been arrested and handed over to law enforcement agencies for prosecution, describing the operation as a major step toward ending activities that disrupt smooth port operations.

He added that the NPA has strengthened surveillance on major port corridors by deploying digital cameras along key routes, including the Mile 2 and Ijora axes, to monitor traffic in real time and respond swiftly to any deliberate obstruction.

The NPA boss also announced that the Authority is upgrading the Electronic Call-Up (Eto) System to eliminate illegal human interference and curb the issuance of fraudulent call-up slips, which have undermined efforts to ensure seamless truck movement.

In addition, Dantsoho revealed that the NPA has expanded barge operations, with more than 30 per cent of containerised cargo now being moved through inland waterways, significantly reducing pressure on roads leading to the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports.

He noted that regular freight rail services connecting the Lagos Port Complex to the Kaduna and Kano Inland Dry Ports are also supporting the evacuation of cargo and reducing the number of trucks on the highways.

Dantsoho expressed confidence that the combined interventions, including technology-driven traffic management, enhanced security, expanded barge operations and improved rail connectivity, will improve cargo evacuation, reduce delays for port users and enhance the overall efficiency and competitiveness of Nigeria’s port system.