The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has applauded the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Truck Transit Parks Limited (TTP) for their role in free flow of traffic around the Apapa and Tin Can Island port corridors.
Addressing newsmen at a press briefing held recently in Lagos, at Rockview Hotel, Apapa Lagos, the president of NAGAFF, Chief Tochukwu Ezisi, able represented by the National General Secretary of NAGAFF, Fowdr. Gofrey Emeka Nwosu, said the digital traffic management system introduced by TTP under the supervision of the NPA has transformed the cargo movement into Nigeria’s busiest ports corridor.
Ezisi recall the harrowing experience of port operators before the introduction of TTP’s Eto traffic management system, when gridlock around the Lagos ports crippled business activities, forced companies to shut down or relocate, and drove down property values in Apapa.
Speaking, “Thanks to the ingenuity of the NPA and the former Ministry of Transportation, a strategic decision was made to engage the services of TTP. In less than two years, the once intractable gridlock started to ease, and port operators breathed a sigh of relief,” he said.
According to him, NAGAFF’s Cargo Watch findings confirm that traffic management reforms have significantly reduced costs and delays.
He disclosed that TTP has successfully processed about 2.7 million truck movements in the last 49 months, resulting in a 65% reduction in cargo transportation costs.
Truck turnaround time has also dropped from 2–3 weeks in the pre-Eto era to less than three days, while cargo evacuation has improved from fewer than 50 trucks daily to more than 400 trucks, particularly benefiting the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and oil and gas sectors.
The NAGAFF president further noted that the reforms have boosted export trade by eliminating unnecessary delays, which previously compelled foreign buyers to demand performance bonds from Nigerian exporters. Real estate in Apapa has also rebounded, with property values appreciating in recent years.
Chief Ezisi revealed that the Eto technology has created 225 direct jobs and empowered over 500 ancillary workers within the port environment.
He applauded the achievements of the NPA, TTP, and the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, urging the government to sustain and consolidate on the gains made.
“The government must develop the political will to monitor and ensure that the standards set by service providers like TTP are maintained. Globally, modern ports are moving towards efficient service delivery to reduce costs and delays. Nigeria must not fall behind,” Ezisi stated.
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