For decades, the Apapa Port access road was bad news to Nigerian port users as it parades a horde of stationary trucks, touts, and everything that is anti-productivity. This was a major setback to Nigeria’s march to economic self-sufficiency because of the strategic position the port occupied in wealth creation. Presently, that nightmare is largely non-existent. Order has returned, with the deployment of the Ètò Electronic Call-Up System by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). ETO is — a digital innovation that has redefined port traffic management and restored efficiency to Lagos ports.
The Ètò platform, developed by Trucks Transit Parks Limited (TTP), is a comprehensive traffic management solution that schedules, tracks, and authenticates the movement of trucks entering and exiting port terminals. What began as a stopgap measure has now evolved into a nationwide model for automated access control, real-time monitoring, and data-driven logistics.
Central to the success of this transformation is the integration of electronic barriers across all Lagos Port Complex terminals. The barriers lift only for trucks with verified Ètò-issued call-up tickets, ensuring every truck movement is pre-approved, logged, and traceable.
“The barrier system gives us end-to-end visibility and control — from booking to terminal exit,” explained Mrs. Stella Oladiran, NPA’s General Manager, Operations. “We can now account for every truck’s movement, eliminate human interference, and measure operational efficiency in real time.”
Before this reform, Apapa’s arteries were choked by unregulated truck diversions, fake call-up slips, and illegal parking. The Ètò system and barrier integration have sealed those loopholes, saving time and money for transporters, exporters, and terminal operators.
Port stakeholders have hailed the Federal Government, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, and the NPA Managing Director, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, for their steadfast commitment to reforming the ports and restoring sanity to Apapa roads.
According to Mr. Adebowale Lawal, Port Manager of the Lagos Port Complex, the Ètò system has brought discipline, transparency, and structure to truck traffic.
“We’ve integrated terminal gates with the Ètò platform to manage entry and exit in a coordinated manner,” Lawal said. “What you now see on Apapa roads is not gridlock but sequenced truck movement. This system is sustainable because it is digital and transparent. Credit goes to the NPA leadership under Dr. Dantsoho and the guidance of Minister Oyetola.”
Chairman of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi, also lauded the transformation, dismissing reports of a gridlock resurgence as “false and misleading.”
“All the roads to Apapa — Wharf, Creek, and adjoining routes — are now clear and orderly,” he said. “Trucks move in single, controlled lanes. That’s progress. We commend the Federal Government, NPA, and TTP for their resolve. For once, technology is driving discipline at our ports.”
Picture: Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, MD, NPA.
