The notorious traffic gridlock that once crippled Apapa and its environs is making a troubling comeback, threatening to paralyze movement and disrupt port operations once again.
Despite past government interventions, residents, commuters, and port workers are now contending with renewed evening congestion as truckers and tankers flood the port access roads daily.
An investigation by the Network of Nigerian Maritime Journalists (NNMJ) revealed that while traffic around Apapa remains manageable during the day, a long trail of trucks begins forming by evening from both the Costain and Mile 2 entry points.
From the Ijora-Olopa Bridge to Apapa and from Coconut Bus Stop to the Tin Can Island Port gates, trucks reportedly queue in droves, with drivers allegedly paying between ₦30,000 and ₦50,000 to secure positions in line.
Sources allege that some officials of key agencies—including the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Nigeria Police—are complicit in the illegal toll collection, turning a blind eye as the gridlock worsens.
The worst-affected routes include Wharf Road, Warehouse Road, Commercial Road, Burma Road, and Creek Road. By 5 p.m., many motorists reportedly abandon their vehicles, opting for motorcycles to navigate out of the gridlock before nightfall.
Former National Coordinator of the Port Standing Task Team (PSTT), Moses Fadipe, attributed the resurgence of congestion to the re-emergence of vested interests who previously profited from the chaos. He noted that the Lagos State Government is fully aware of the measures needed to avert a total collapse of traffic in the area.
Similarly, Martins Enibeli, President of both the Nigerian Institute of Shipping (NIS) and the Nigerian Licensed Ship Chandlers Association (NILSCA), blamed government insincerity for the relapse. He urged authorities to prioritize rail transport for cargo evacuation from Lagos ports and revive the Eastern and Delta ports to reduce pressure on Apapa.
“Bonded terminals should be relocated far from the ports and connected by rail. Government must stop concentrating port operations in the West while neglecting other regions,” Enibeli stated.
A senior official, who requested anonymity, also confirmed that a syndicate involving both state and non-state actors is profiting from the illegal tolls collected from truckers, further deepening the crisis.
Stakeholders are now calling for urgent federal intervention to dismantle the alleged racketeering network and restore sanity to Apapa’s port access corridors before the situation spirals out of control.
