Posted on May 15, 2024
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has announced that it has successfully cleared the notorious decade-long gridlock on the Mile 2-TinCan-Apapa corridor, home to the TinCan and Apapa ports.
The announcement was made through a post on the NPA’s official X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday. According to the NPA, this success was made possible through a collaborative effort involving the Lagos State Government, the Nigerian Navy, the Nigeria Police Force, and with the support of Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, the Minister of Maritime and Blue Economy.
“The Management of the @nigerianports continues to appreciate the renewed partnership with @followlasg, @NigerianNavy, @PoliceNG, and the support of the Hon. Minister of @FMoMBENigeria, Alh @GboyegaOyetola , in clearing the 12-year hideous gridlock on the Mile 2—TinCan—Apapa corridor,” the post read in part.
The post also highlighted that clearing the gridlock on the Mile 2-TinCan-Apapa corridor has dramatically reduced the travel time for export containers entering the port from an average of 10 days to under an hour.
According to the NPA, this significant improvement has led to enhanced quality control of exports, decreased haulage costs, faster truck turnaround times, and reduced import costs.
Additionally, the post noted other direct benefits such as improved port security, lowered shipping costs, and enhanced port competitiveness. The NPA said it is committed to collaborating with stakeholders to maintain this achievement.
What you should know
The gridlock on the Mile 2-TinCan-Apapa corridor has long challenged motorists and disrupted port operations. Over the years, several authorities, including the Lagos State Government and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), have attempted to alleviate the congestion, but these efforts have had no lasting impact.
In the first quarter of 2021, the NPA introduced the Eto app, an electronic truck call-up system designed to manage truck movements and access to and from the Lagos Ports Complex and the Tin Can Island Ports in Apapa, Lagos.
The system mandates that all trucks conducting business at the ports must park at approved truck parks and only enter the port when called up through the Eto app, which is responsible for scheduling the entry and exit of all trucks.
However, the electronic truck call-up system has faced several challenges that undermined its effectiveness. For instance, in December 2023, the NPA discovered a fake e-CallUp syndicate in possession of over 400 vehicle plate numbers and more than 200 units of Minimum Safety Standard (MSS) stickers used for proxy bookings.
Additionally, the Lagos State Government has launched various initiatives to ease the gridlock on the Mile 2-TinCan-Apapa corridor.
For example, in October 2022, the government reconstituted and inaugurated the Apapa Special Traffic Management Team to effectively tackle the gridlock through strategic planning and operations. Despite these efforts, the congestion has continued.
