Stakeholders in Nigeria's maritime industry, including the Lagos State Truck and Cargo Operators Committee, have urged for a review of the existing truck call-up arrangement along the Lekki–Epe axis. This call was made during a recent transport stakeholder meeting chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Mr Maroof Olawale Musa. The meeting aimed to address the persistent challenges affecting the movement of trucks and cargo in maritime corridors in Lagos.
The stakeholders emphasized the need for greater efficiency in the evacuation of cargo from ports, as delays within the port system have direct consequences for truck turnaround time and traffic congestion on access roads. The Chairman of the Lagos State Truck and Cargo Operators Committee, Lukman Zangalo, announced that the meeting examined the need to prevent avoidable traffic crises, accidents, and loss of life on the state's roads. Other stakeholders, including the Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency and the Lagos State Chairman of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners, were in attendance.
Zangalo called on truck owners, drivers, terminal operators, and other stakeholders in the maritime transportation sector to cooperate fully with the Lagos State Government in its efforts to restore sanity, compliance, and safety across the state's major port corridors. He highlighted that the meeting proposed further improvements to the Apapa truck call-up system, with a focus on reducing unnecessary human intervention and strengthening systems for more predictable, transparent, and efficient truck movement.
The stakeholders also identified the efficiency and operational practices of terminal operators as crucial to addressing the challenges. Zangalo noted that truckers often bear the immediate consequences of delays and congestion arising from wider systemic challenges within the port and cargo evacuation chain. He pointed out that while truckers suffer losses from prolonged waiting periods, congestion, and operational delays, some corporate entities may continue to receive demurrage payments.
The meeting proposed an expanded engagement involving terminal operators, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and other relevant stakeholders to develop practical solutions that address the problems at their source. Zangalo emphasized that addressing the problems on the roads alone would not provide a lasting solution without examining the entire cargo evacuation chain. The stakeholders agreed on the need for a collective effort to make Lagos roads safer, improve port efficiency, and protect lives and businesses.
The Lagos State Ministry of Transportation made it clear that truckers should not expect to resolve traffic violations or operational breaches through payments or informal interventions. The message from the state government was unequivocal: compliance and sanity are the primary objectives, not fines. Zangalo urged all stakeholders to see the current measures as part of a collective effort to improve Lagos maritime transportation.
Zangalo disclosed that more personnel and equipment would be deployed to strengthen traffic management and improve operations along the affected corridors. The state government emphasized its commitment to compliance, orderliness, and preventing avoidable incidents that could result in loss of lives and property. The stakeholders recognized that a properly coordinated system involving government agencies, port authorities, terminal operators, truckers, and other stakeholders is essential to achieving sustainable improvement in Lagos maritime transportation.
Key points
- The Lagos State Truck and Cargo Operators Committee is pushing for reforms to the Lekki call-up system.
- The stakeholders emphasized the need for greater efficiency in cargo evacuation from ports.
- The Lagos State Government is committed to ensuring compliance and safety across the state's major port corridors.
