By Oluyinka Onigbinde
In a concerted effort to tackle racketeering and reduce inflated transportation costs within the nation’s busiest seaports, Trucks Transit Parks Ltd. (TTP) on Tuesday, April 16, 2025, held a comprehensive training session for Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders on the use of its Ètò electronic call-up system. The session, held at the Customs Processing Centre (CPC) Auditorium in Apapa, was convened in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and supported by the leadership of the Joint Association of Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders (JALCAFF), Apapa Command.
The initiative, which drew wide participation from port users and freight practitioners, was sponsored by the Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, and his management team. It sought to deepen understanding of the Ètò platform while addressing the challenges posed by third-party interference and unscrupulous elements who exploit users’ ignorance to peddle access tickets at exorbitant prices.
Speaking during the session, Comptroller Olomu expressed appreciation to TTP for facilitating the training and emphasized the need for customs agents to take personal ownership of the Ètò booking process.
“I want to thank TTP for this impactful training. I encourage all customs agents to begin doing their own bookings directly. By doing so, they can take back power from the unscrupulous elements exploiting their lack of knowledge, selling tickets at highly inflated prices,” Olomu declared.
The customs boss noted that empowering agents with hands-on training was key to dismantling racketeering networks that have plagued access to the ports and frustrated efficient logistics processes.
Echoing his sentiments, Chief Emeka Chukwumalu, Chairman of the Apapa Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), said the engagement was critical to the ongoing push to reduce cargo transportation costs and ease business operations at the Apapa Port.
“The training is basically for us to have awareness of the operations of the Ètò Call-up System through TTP. We also want to brainstorm on ways to reduce the high cost of cargo transportation in Apapa Port,” Chukwumalu stated.
Participants at the training expressed satisfaction with the clarity provided, stating that many of them had previously relied on intermediaries due to lack of proper orientation
“This training opened our eyes to how simple it is to book tickets ourselves,” said one freight forwarder.
“We now know the right steps to follow and how to avoid falling victim to fraudsters,” another participant added.
Addressing the gathering, Head of Operations at TTP, Mr. Irabor Akonoman, addressed common misconceptions about ticket pricing, reaffirming that the cost of Ètò bookings had remained consistent since its inception.
“The official price remains the same since inception. What people are paying higher amounts for is the manipulation by racketeers. This training is about empowering you with practical knowledge of the booking procedures,” he explained.
Akonoman further noted that direct bookings would enhance transparency, grant operators real-time visibility of their trucks within the system, and ensure smoother operations at the ports. He also urged licensed agents to see themselves as crucial stakeholders in the push for logistics reform.
“Licensed agents are essential gatekeepers in improving logistics efficiency at our ports,” he affirmed.
On his part, Mr. Eze Uchendu, Chairman of the Apapa Chapter of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), emphasized the need for continuous learning and collaboration between freight agents and terminal operators.
“We need more open-mindedness among agents to learn how to use the system. At the same time, we demand greater accountability from terminal operators to ensure faster truck processing,” he said.
The training represents a strategic step towards improving port access procedures and enhancing trust in the Ètò system, which has been central to the electronic scheduling and movement of trucks in and out of the Lagos ports corridor.
TTP, developers and operators of the Ètò platform, reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing stakeholder engagement, capacity building, and system optimization. The company pledged to continue working closely with port regulators and users to ensure the platform delivers on its core objective of decongesting access roads, eliminating extortion, and fostering a more efficient cargo evacuation process at Apapa and Tincan Island Ports.
