Apapa Traffic: Loaded Trucks Trapped For 15-Hours To Exit Lagos Port Gate

Fresh facts have emerged that container laden trucks exiting the Lagos Ports Complex, Apapa now spend about 15hours to exit the port gate. 
A visit to the premier port, Apapa by Shipping Position Daily correspondent showed that container laden trucks wanting to exit the port spent 15 hours on the queue from the terminal gate of APM Terminals to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), gate. 
It was gathered that some of the trucks are enroute bonded terminals and waiting for customs escort to the respective terminals. 
The long wait was also attributed to traffic emanating from Apapa community caused by the ongoing reconstruction of Apapa-Ijora approach into Apapa port. 
However, APM Terminal confirmed the assertion that truck spent about 15 hours to exit the port gate. 
A manager of the terminal who craved anonymity disclosed that the terminal operator surveyed on Friday, September 29 and find that it takes 15 hours for container to exit the port.
 The terminal operators said it could only service 623 trucks lower than the average number of 700 trucks they service per day. 
The source said: “We did the survey and realised that it takes over 15hours to exit the NPA gate from our terminal gate, we gathered that some of the trucks on queue are destined for some bonded terminals in and out of Lagos waiting for customs escort;  also, we can't rule out extortion at port gate," he told our correspondent. 
He also disclosed that the traffic gridlock at the port gate affected the terminal output of servicing trucks from 700 trucks to 623 in a day. 
"Random sample of serviced/loaded trucks within Lagos port complex waiting to exit the port was taken and we noticed that they have been on the queue for an average of 15hours waiting to exit Lagos port complex due to the traffic emanating from the community. 
“In the last 24hrs, we were only able to service 623 trucks which is lower than out average number of 700 trucks, 56% of that number took delivery of import containers while the rest returned empty/ export. Total transactions performed was about 1,469 TEUs”, he added.