The Nigerian Ports Authority has unveiled a phased truck entry system for the Apapa and Tin Can ports as part of renewed efforts to tackle chronic congestion on port access roads, while stepping up enforcement against indiscriminate truck parking.
The Port Manager of Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, Adebowale Lawal, said the NPA, under the leadership of its Managing Director, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, was determined to restore order around the ports and align operations with global best practices.
Lawal explained that the authority, in collaboration with Truck Transit Parks Limited, had introduced a demand-driven truck scheduling system that would see vehicles released into the ports in batches, rather than all at once.
According to him, the new arrangement is designed to ease pressure on the port corridors by matching truck movements with the operational needs of individual terminals.
“If a terminal requires 100 trucks, they will not all be released at once. They will come in batches to reduce pressure on the port access roads,” he said.
He added that a joint task force had been clearing the Apapa and Tin Can port access roads since 26 June 2026, with daily operations running until about 8pm to prevent indiscriminate parking.
Lawal said the exercise would be sustained to consolidate the gains already recorded and prevent a return to the crippling traffic gridlock that had long plagued the port corridors.
He also appealed to truck operators to support the initiative by leaving the port environment immediately after loading or offloading cargo, noting that some drivers continued to park along access roads despite repeated engagements by the authority.
“We engage truckers and their leadership every day, but enforcement will continue alongside sensitisation to ensure compliance,” he said.
On the planned modernisation of the Apapa and Tin Can ports, Lawal disclosed that the Federal Government, through the NPA, had begun paying the five per cent counterpart funding required to access the £746 million British government-backed loan earmarked for the upgrade of the two ports.
He said preliminary works, including borehole drilling and site investigations, had been completed, while contractors were expected to mobilise to site before the end of July.
Lawal further revealed that a technical stakeholders’ meeting was held last week, while a broader stakeholders’ review has been scheduled for this week to assess progress and address implementation gaps.
According to him, the rehabilitation project, alongside ongoing operational reforms, is expected to reduce cargo clearance time, eliminate documentation bottlenecks and improve efficiency across Nigeria’s seaports.