By Mercy Aikoye
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) have agreed to strengthen collaboration to address the persistent traffic congestion along the Apapa and Tin Can Island port access roads, improve cargo evacuation and enhance the ease of doing business at the nation’s busiest seaports.
The resolution was reached during a strategic meeting between the Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, and the national leadership of ANLCA led by its National President, Chief Emenike Nwokeoji, at the authority’s corporate headquarters in Marina, Lagos on Thursday.
A statement issued by the NPA’s General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Ikechukwu Onyemekara, said both parties agreed on the need for closer cooperation to ensure smoother port operations and eliminate bottlenecks affecting cargo movement.
Central to the discussions was the Electronic Call-Up System (Eto), introduced to regulate truck movement into and out of the Apapa and Tin Can ports. Dantsoho acknowledged that although the system had delivered on its initial objectives, increasing trade volumes now require a more robust framework to permanently address traffic gridlock on the port corridors.
He said the authority was committed to modernising port infrastructure to improve operational efficiency and position Nigerian ports to meet international standards.
“Lagos remains a vital commercial hub for West Africa. To sustain this position, we must aggressively pursue port modernisation. Much of our infrastructure is ageing and requires comprehensive upgrades, deployment of modern cargo-handling equipment and improved efficiency,” he said.
Dantsoho also commended the management of the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, attributing their recent recognition among the World Bank’s Top 20 Most Improved Ports Globally to deliberate reforms aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He noted that Nigeria’s emergence as President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) and Vice President for Africa at the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) further reflects the country’s growing influence in global maritime affairs.
Speaking earlier, Nwokeoji congratulated the NPA on the World Bank recognition and reaffirmed ANLCA’s commitment to policies that promote trade facilitation and port efficiency.
He urged the authority to include licensed customs agents in the management of the Electronic Call-Up System, arguing that their involvement would strengthen transparency, eliminate racketeering and reduce artificial delays on port access roads.
The ANLCA president also pledged the association’s support for a coordinated task force involving the NPA, the Nigeria Police Force and other stakeholders to monitor truck movement and swiftly address disruptions along the Apapa and Tin Can port corridors.
He also formally invited the NPA managing director to the association’s 72nd anniversary celebration scheduled to hold later this year.
