BY GODWIN OBI
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has moved decisively to calm nerves across the maritime sector, assuring port users, truck operators and investors that operations at the nation’s busiest ports will continue without disruption despite the expiration of the Electronic Truck Call-Up System (ETO) agreement.
The contract between the NPA and Truck Transit Park Ltd (TTP), managers of the ETO platform, officially ended in February and is now under review. But in a swift response to mounting speculation, the Authority made it clear that seamless cargo flow and port efficiency remain non-negotiable.
Speaking on the development, NPA’s General Manager, Corporate Communications, Ikechukwu Onyemekara, disclosed that safeguards already exist within the expired agreement to guarantee operational stability.
“There are options under the expired agreement to be adopted to ensure that necessary arrangements are in place for business continuity by the parties that would ensure that operations are not disrupted in any way,” Onyemekara stated.
He described the review as a routine administrative process aligned with global best practices, stressing that the Authority is determined to protect the progress achieved since the introduction of the digital truck scheduling regime.
The ETO platform, launched in 2021 at the peak of the Apapa gridlock crisis, marked a turning point for port logistics in Lagos. Before its introduction, the Apapa corridor was synonymous with crippling congestion, endless truck queues and supply chain chaos. By mandating pre-booked access slots for trucks before approaching the ports, the system restored order to a once dysfunctional traffic ecosystem.
Since its deployment, stakeholders credit the digital call-up system with significantly reducing congestion along port access roads, improving cargo evacuation timelines and enhancing vessel turnaround time. The increased predictability it introduced into port operations has also strengthened confidence among shipping lines, freight forwarders and terminal operators.
Industry analysts say the NPA’s reassurance comes at a critical time, particularly as the Authority advances broader port modernisation initiatives aimed at boosting competitiveness, efficiency and revenue generation. Any uncertainty around the ETO system could have rattled investor sentiment—but the regulator’s swift communication appears to have steadied the waters.
Maritime stakeholders maintain that continuity of the call-up regime is essential to sustaining the hard-won gains recorded over the past few years. They also expect that whatever framework emerges from the review will further consolidate transparency, accountability and technological efficiency within the port logistics chain.
While the review process remains ongoing, the NPA has reiterated its commitment to stakeholder engagement and due process in determining the next phase of the call-up system.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Managing Director of TTP, Mr. Onwubuariri, were unsuccessful as calls and messages to his known contacts were not returned as of press time.
For now, however, the message from the nation’s port regulator is unmistakable: operations remain steady, cargo keeps moving, and Nigeria’s maritime gateway is open for business.
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