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As the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) rolls out the Electronic Call-up system (ETO) to address the perennial traffic gridlock on the port access road, stakeholders are excited and await its commencement. YUSUF BABALOLA writes.

Aside insecurity on the nation’s maritime domain, another challenge against efficient and effective port operations in Nigeria is traffic gridlock on the port access roads.

The challenge which has defied all known solutions since it started over seven years ago has cost Nigeria huge amount in local and foreign currency.

However, the dysfunction in Lagos ports have allowed other tiny West African countries’ port, servicing far smaller markets, to eclipse Nigeria.

Lome, in Togo, is now the busiest seaport in West and Central Africa that cargo destined for Nigeria is increasingly offloaded or shipped via smaller vessels from ports in Ghana, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Congo-Brazzaville.

The gridlock has pushed up the cost to move a container from the Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, to any other part of the city by 50 per cent, from N1.2 million (about $3,100) to N1.8 million (about $4,700). The haulage cost from Tin Can to any other part of Lagos has also risen by more than 1,000 per cent from about N100,000 to about N1.2 million.

Barely a year ago, the cost of trucking from the Tin Can Port was about N300,000 but the haulage cost from Tin Can Port is now three times the cost of haulage from the Apapa Port, which has remained at N600, 000 since the beginning of year 2020.

Also, the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) has estimated that the traffic congestion costs the country $55m a day in lost economic activity.

NPA Introduces ETO To Solve Traffic Gridlock

In its search for a way out of the gridlock challenge and put an end to the increment in haulage fees and attendant losses to the nation’s economy, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) came up with the Electronic Truck Call-up system known as ETO.

The call up system is to help return normalcy to the port access roads and to the once troubled roads leading to the Apapa and Tin-Can Island seaports.

According to NPA, the ETO was designed for the management of truck movement and access to and from the Lagos Ports Complex and the Tin Can Island Ports, Apapa, Lagos.

NPA in a statement to LEADERSHIP, “All trucks doing business at the ports will be required to park at the approved truck parks until they are called up into the port through the Eto app. The Eto app will be responsible for the scheduling, entry & exit of all trucks into the ports with effect from 27 February 2021.”

The NPA urged all truck drivers and owners to download the app or sign up for the system before the commencement date to enable them register accordingly.

“The management of the Authority solicits the cooperation of transporters, truck drivers, cargo owners, clearing agents shipping companies and all port users in the implementation of the project, which will bring order and sanity to the ports access roads,” it further stated.

NPA added that refusal to comply with the implantation of Eto will result in denial of access into the ports, impounding of trucks and withdrawal of registration/operating license.

ETO to save Nigerian economy N140bn yearly economic loss

When fully operational, the electronic call-up system will save Nigeria a whooping N140 billion weekly economic loss and another $10 billion yearly loss of agro products.

According to NPA, “The system will save the country N140 billion weekly economic loss, 40 per cent of businesses that have left Apapa, will return and there will be an end to 7-14 days cargo reception delay; consequent damage to perishable export products and reverse the $10 billion annual loss of agro products.

“That is not all, this effort will also save our bridges around Lagos mainland, which are old and fragile and can no longer support abuse by trucks. This will also put an end to unavailability of public funding for shared common infrastructure.”

Managing director NPA Hadiza Bala-Usman reiterated that the truck electronic call-up system would put an end to the perennial logjam caused by articulated trucks within the port corridor.

According to her, “It is critical we put an end to the intractable Apapa traffic to restore sanity to cargo operations at our ports in Lagos”.

Hadiza stated that the web application (Eto) will enthrone transparency, orderliness to truck movement as scheduling is done automatically – on first come, first serve basis.

Usman further assured port users that the irresponsible parking of trucks on the port access roads would soon be a thing of the past.

She also solicited the co-operation of stakeholders on the roll out of Eto which she said was designed to compliment the drive for a business friendly and secured environment for port business in Nigeria.

ETO Will Transform Apapa Port

A source close to the operation, said the electronic call-up system would transform Apapa and bring the port city back to life.

He said, “The app aims to decongest Apapa, improve traffic flow, and ultimately facilitate the efficiency and productivity of the ports.

“The operation is based on an electronic call-up system called Ètò, through which trucks’ movements will be scheduled from the originating points of the trucks to a park, then to a holding bay/pre-gate, and then programmed in batches (on a first-come-first-served basis) to access the ports.

trucks are expected to remain within approved parks until they are scheduled to access the ports or are moving from one park to another. The idea is to prohibit illegal or indiscriminate parking of trucks along the roads.

“Therefore, law enforcement agents have been set up to enforce compliance and tow or fine offending trucks/truckers. Hence, an electronic call-up system that will drive the check-in and checkout of trucks from each location has been put in place to achieve this. In addition to batching and scheduling of trucks movement, there are plans to offer add-on or ancillary services such as truck wash, tyre change, truck service and accommodation at designated parks.”

He added that the main objectives of the operations are to improve ports efficiency, decongesting traffic gridlock, improving traffic flow within Apapa logistics ring, improve accountability and eliminate extortion and improve ease of doing business.

Maritime Stakeholders Applaud Initiative

Maritime stakeholders especially truck owners and drivers operating at the seaports have applauded the initiative saying it will solve the challenges of accessing the seaports.

The stakeholders under the aegis of Maritime Stakeholders Forum (MSF) agreed that the ETO is the solution to the perennial traffic gridlock and not the usual formation of task force by federal and state government.

The group comprises of National Association of Road Transport Owners ( NARTO), Association of Nigerian Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA), Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), ANDLARD LTD, RASHFUNK NIG LTD.

Others are, Greenview Development Nigeria Limited (GDNL), Terminal, Container Truck Owners Association of Nigeria (COTOAN),  Committee of Maritime Truck Unions and Associations (COMTUA), Shippers’ Association of Lagos State (SALS)

Though, they disagreed on the imposition of task force by both state and federal government as solution to traffic menace but unanimously support the adoption of NPA/TTP “eto” automation system.

The group however advised NPA and the Truck Transit Park (TTP) to recognise and carry along all garages in implementing  the “ eto” automation system.

Though, the NPA has finally find a long lasting solution to the Apapa traffic debacle but, the agency should ensure inter connectivity of all the transport modes for ease of evacuating cargoes out of the seaports.

The nation’s seaports shouldn’t depend solely on roads but also on rail to the hinter lands and barges through the inland waterways to other parts of the city and states of the federation.