The General Secretary of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Alhaji Sani Bala Muhammed, speaks on the state of truck transit parks around Lagos ports, the abuse of the electronic call-up system, the need for modern truck marshalling yards, and plans to integrate tanker operators into the port access management framework. In this interview, he explains why port corridor congestion persists despite the availability of truck parks and what must be done to restore sanity to port operations.
E-Call Up: “The key issue is compliance with the Standard Operating Procedure”
There are ongoing plans to onboard tanker operators into the call-up framework
What is the current status of truck transit parks serving the Lagos ports?
We have several truck transit parks linked to the electronic call-up system. These are the facilities where trucks are arranged, programmed, and released into the ports on a first-come, first-served basis. There are many of them spread across Apapa and Tin Can Port corridors. Some are public while others are privately owned. Examples of public parks include Lillypond Truck Transit Park, Tincan-approved parks and other facilities connected to the call-up system. Some are located within the port environment, while others are situated farther away.
How many truck parks are currently connected to the call-up system?
There are quite a number of them. We can have as many as 20 facilities serving the Apapa and Tin Can axis. They are spread across different locations depending on available space and operational requirements.
Do truckers pay to use these public parks?
For the public parks linked to the call-up system, once a truck successfully books and enters the system, it automatically gains access to the designated park. The parking arrangement is tied to the booking process. Once the truck is released from the park and enters the port, the parking obligation is exhausted. For private parks, however, operators pay separately to use those facilities.
How many private truck parks exist around the port environment?
There are many private parks scattered across different locations such as Ijora, Orile, Kirikiri, Ojo and several other areas. They are privately managed and serve different categories of truck operators.
Are the existing truck parks sufficient to accommodate trucks operating within the ports?
Based on the requirements established by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the available transit parks should ordinarily be sufficient. The problem is not necessarily the availability of parks but compliance with the operational procedures governing access to the ports.
Despite the cleanup of the port corridors, why are some truckers still avoiding the transit parks?
The major reason is the loopholes that currently exist within the call-up system’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Some people are able to obtain what we call direct or express call-ups, which allow them to access the ports without passing through the normal process of entering the transit park, proceeding to the pre-gate, and then waiting for their turn. What happens is that some individuals generate these direct call-ups and sell them to the highest bidders. Those who buy them gain immediate access to the ports. When truckers who are following the approved procedure spend one or two weeks waiting in transit parks and pre-gates, only to see others bypass the process, they become discouraged. Many then decide to stop using the transit parks and instead seek these direct call-ups. That is one of the major reasons some truckers are boycotting the approved process.
There have been discussions about establishing modern truck transit parks with rest facilities for drivers. What progress has been made?
AMATO has been actively involved in that project and we are still pursuing it. We are working closely with the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy through the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to accelerate the acquisition of 15 truck marshalling yards. The proposal is for government to acquire the land and establish proper truck marshalling facilities capable of accommodating large numbers of trucks.
How will these truck marshalling yards improve traffic management?
They will significantly reduce indiscriminate parking along the port corridors. Currently, before some trucks are allowed into the pre-gates, they often wait along the roads. Tankers and cargo trucks can be seen occupying different sections of the corridor. A properly developed truck marshalling yard would absorb these trucks. Instead of parking on roadsides and unauthorized locations, they would remain within designated facilities until called forward. This would free up the roads and improve traffic flow significantly.
Will tanker operators also be integrated into this arrangement?
Yes. There are ongoing plans to onboard tanker operators into the call-up framework. The objective is to ensure that tankers also operate on a booking system where they enter approved parks and only proceed to their assigned depots when called. This would eliminate the current practice of tankers parking indiscriminately along major roads while waiting to access depots.
Why is it important to bring tanker operators into the call-up system?
The current situation creates serious traffic challenges. Many tankers park along roads leading to depots, forming double and sometimes triple lanes. This obstructs traffic, inconveniences other road users and contributes significantly to gridlock. Beyond traffic concerns, it also affects port operations because trucks that need to access the ports cannot move freely due to these obstructions. Integrating tanker operators into the call-up system would ensure orderly movement and improve overall traffic management.
Do tanker operators currently have dedicated truck parks?
Very few. The major one I am aware of is the facility located under Marine Bridge. Beyond that, there are limited dedicated facilities for tanker operations. That is why efforts are being made to bring them into a structured parking and scheduling arrangement.
Some truck parks have been established in areas such as Lekki, yet operators are not fully utilizing them. Why?
The process of bringing all stakeholders into the system is still ongoing. There is a need for continuous engagement and enforcement to ensure compliance. As more operators are on-boarded and the system becomes more transparent, utilization of approved truck parks will improve.
What recommendations would you give for the effective utilization of truck transit parks in Nigeria?
The existing transit parks are largely adequate. What we need is a large-scale truck marshalling yard system that can accommodate more trucks and improve coordination. However, even if we establish all 15 proposed marshalling yards, the problem will persist if the loopholes within the call-up system are not addressed. The key issue is compliance with the Standard Operating Procedure. If people continue to abuse the system and obtain direct call-ups outside the approved process, trucks will continue to gather along the port corridors waiting for opportunities to bypass the queue. But if the SOP is strictly enforced and everyone follows the same process, there will be no need for trucks to park on roads waiting for call-ups.
In summary, are truck parks the main cause of congestion around the ports?
No. The problem is not the availability of truck parks. The real challenge is the lack of compliance with the Standard Operating Procedure governing port access. As long as there are loopholes that allow some operators to bypass the system, we will continue to see trucks scattered across the port corridors. If the SOP is strictly enforced and applied equally to everyone, orderliness will return, congestion will reduce, and the port environment will become more efficient for all stakeholders.
Recently, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) carried out interventions that helped clear the Lagos port corridors. Why do you think the efforts are now futile due to the resurgence of traffic congestion around the ports?
Following the intervention and clean-up operations, some of the checkpoints along the port corridors were dismantled. However, we later observed that certain practices that contribute to congestion gradually began resurfacing, which necessitated further monitoring and enforcement efforts. There were concerns that some checkpoints and activities capable of creating artificial bottlenecks could undermine the gains already achieved. Such situations can contribute to delays in cargo evacuation, increase truck turnaround time, and ultimately affect the efficiency of port operations. As an association, our responsibility is to report observations and concerns to the appropriate authorities for necessary action. We have continued to escalate such issues whenever they arise. It is important to note that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), following the PEBEC intervention, has continued with follow-up enforcement operations to sustain the gains achieved during the corridor clean-up exercise. Similarly, the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police in charge of the Maritime Command has also been actively involved in monitoring activities along the port corridors. The authorities regularly carry out inspections to ensure that unauthorized checkpoints do not re-emerge and that stakeholders comply with established procedures.
Have you personally observed the return of some of these checkpoints, and are they more active during specific periods of the day?
There have been reports and observations suggesting that some checkpoints may have resurfaced at certain locations. However, based on the interventions of the AIG Maritime and other relevant authorities, such checkpoints are not supposed to be operating. Our association does not directly monitor checkpoints because that responsibility falls within the purview of the relevant security and regulatory agencies. What we do is draw the attention of the authorities whenever issues are brought to our notice.
The important thing is that the relevant agencies are aware of the concerns and are taking steps to address them. For a more detailed assessment of enforcement activities and checkpoint operations, it would be appropriate to speak directly with the NPA or the AIG Maritime Command, as they are leading those monitoring and enforcement efforts.
So it is safe to believe that the resurgence of traffic is linked solely to checkpoints and compromised SOPs?
While unauthorized checkpoints can contribute to delays, the bigger issue remains compliance with the port access Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). As long as loopholes exist that allow some operators to bypass the approved call-up process, congestion will persist. To achieve lasting sanity on the port corridors, all stakeholders must comply with the established procedures, and enforcement agencies must ensure that no individual or group is allowed to circumvent the system. That is the only way to sustain the gains recorded after the PEBEC intervention and prevent a return to the era of severe gridlock around the ports.
