Apapa is a very strategic to the nation’s economy. The port city of Apapa is home to Nigeria’s two foremost ports which are currently being managed by nine terminal operators. Between the two ports called; Lagos Port Complex and Tin Can Island Port, more than 65 percent of dry cargoes and about 90 per cent of the nation’s liquid (petroleum products) are handled. This is because it hosts about 32 tank farms (and still counting). These are in addition to the many shipping companies/agencies, licensed customs offices and numerous other businesses that are located in this port city.
On a normal day, Apapa is a busy city, with heavy vehicular and human traffic; this is in addition to other human endeavours that take place there. The port city of Apapa equally plays host to countless number of banks and several port- related activities.
The port city is sandwiched in between highbrow residential areas like Apapa GRA, Beachland estate, and low income residential areas such as Ajegunle and Ijora, it also shares boundaries with a couple of riverside settlements.
Apapa is linked to the rest of the city by two major highways; the Apapa – Oshodi expressway and Apapa-Ijora road. Of course, it can also be approached by water from Mile Two (on the mainland) and Marina axis (on the Island).
The Apapa-Oshodi expressway is too strategic to the nation’s economy, because, it also links the port city to the popular Murtala Mohammed International Airport.
Of course, one major stakeholder in Apapa are the tank farms, which have become an unwelcome feature in the port city, they receive several tankers which also load petroleum products daily from different depots to different parts of the country. These trucks come into Lagos empty, but they leave fully loaded with products, thus contributing their quota to the poor state of the roads and the already debilitating vehicular traffic in and around Apapa and indeed the metropolis.
Certainly, the presence of these tank farms have brought untold hardships to residents, owners of businesses, motorists and workers in the port city.
Sometime last year, a ‘driver’s mate’ was allegedly shot by a naval personnel while his truck was on queue waiting to gain access into one of the tank farms in Apapa.
The naval rating who allegedly shot the motor boy was one of the security personnel drafted to maintain peace and control traffic at the various tank farms and the ensure free flow of traffic in and out of the loading facilities.
Apart from this death, which was widely reported by the media, a lot more people have been killed by hit and run drivers who drive against traffic on the ever-busy Apapa end of the Oshodi-Apapa expressway.
But the tankers didn’t get to Apapa overnight and on their own volition. So also the tank farms didn’t get to Apapa overnight and on their own volition. All the micro-stakeholders at the sprawling farms got relevant official permission to operate there.
It’s certain that whatever circumstances that brought the tank farms and the associated business including tankers, are no longer tenable.
Virtually every stakeholder has spoken about the debilitating Apapa traffic. They are however in agreement that the presence of the tank farms and the bad state of the roads leading to the two ports has jointly contributed to the problem.
We recall that recently, the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) also joined the long list of those who have called for the relocation of tank farms away from Apapa.
Chairman of the association, Princess Vicky Hastrup was quoted as saying that the activities of the tank farms have largely affected the inflow and out flow of cargoes from Lagos ports.
She warned about the danger that the continuous operation of the tank farms pose to port system,
Her group’s fears are not far from the truth. If there were no such facilities at Apapa, there would have been no tankers, there would have been no such heavy traffic as is noticeable on daily basis, there would have been no need for naval personnel and of course, innocent souls that have been lost to reckless driving would probably still be alive today.
Unfortunately, the tank farms can not be relocated in a jiffy! The investments run to billions of Naira, the infrastructures are massive.
A total review of the Nigerian petroleum industry laws may just be what is needed to address the failure of the nation’s oil and gas sector. The solution of production and supply of petroleum products may lie in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill.
From all indications, both the Lagos state government and the federal government must seat together to find a workable solution to the daily nightmare on the roads in Apapa.
On this note, we want to commend the recent decision of the Nigerian Ports Authourity to commence immediate palliative on the access roads into the ports. This will certainly bring some relieve.
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