…TTP, licensed agents collaborate to smash N400,000 black market syndicate
By Steve Agbota
The Eto e-call-up system, championed by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) was launched years ago with fanfare as a digital fix to the perennial gridlock choking Nigeria’s seaports.
But years later, what was meant to streamline truck movement has been hijacked by a powerful ticketing cartel.
Beneath the surface, a black market thrives, where desperate drivers pay as much as N400,000 for access slots.
Now, in a sweeping crackdown, Truck Transit Parks (TTP) and licensed agents are joining forces to dismantle the racket and restore sanity to port operations.
According to stakeholders, the illegal practice by economic saboteurs has seen container traffic return to Lagos Ports, as congestion is mounting up.
On February 28, 2021, an electronic call-up system was deployed to direct truck movement into Lagos ports of Tin Can and Apapa.
The system was described as a game–changer for the chaotic Apapa traffic.
Stakeholders commended the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for taking the initiative to curb extortion of truckers and clearing agents by some individuals who were raking in over N300 million monthly.
Ever since the system was put in place to ensure seamless movement of cargo and curb extortion, the economic saboteurs have not rested, devising every means to fight back and circumvent the ETO e-call-up system.
This is even as the firm handling the Electronic Call-Up system for trucks at the Lagos Ports, Trucks Transit Parks (TTP) recently raised the alarm that some individuals, both outside and in government, who benefitted from the extortion of N300,000 and N250,000 from truckers along the port access roads before the implementation of ETO, are now fighting back to frustrate the system.
A visit by the Daily Sun to the Lagos port recently revealed that there was rampant racketeering surrounding the Eto e-call-up system, causing persistent congestion and disorder along the Lagos port access roads.
Daily Sun learnt that while the official cost of an Eto ticket on the system is N20,750, freight agents are now paying up to N400,000 due to black market dealings with trucks lined up at the port access roads waiting for access, thereby causing traffic.
In a bid to curb the persistent gridlock around Nigeria’s port corridors and salvage the credibility of the Eto call-up system, Truck Transit Parks (TTP), the Nigeria Customs Service, and licensed agents have launched a coordinated crackdown on black market operators and ticket racketeers sabotaging the process.
Also, TTP, in collaboration with the Apapa Customs Command and the Joint Association of Licensed Customs Agents (JALCA), launched a targeted training programme to sensitise key stakeholders on the workings of the e-call-up system.
However, the Head of Operations, TTP, Irabor Akonoman, addressed the misinformation circulating among stakeholders regarding ticket prices for port access.
He said people have been misled into believing tickets are sold for N200,000 or even N500,000, clarifying that on the ETO system, no ticket exceeds N20,750, as every booking is accompanied by a verifiable receipt.
He said, unfortunately, many of them are still unfamiliar with the e-call-up and booking processes, despite being directly affected by them, noting that this training is to close that gap.
Akonoman said the training is to empower Customs agents with knowledge and practical skills related to the e-call-up system and booking procedures.
He explained that Customs-licensed agents were essential gatekeepers in port logistics, as they facilitate truck movement into and out of the ports.
“When agents do the bookings themselves and issue tickets directly to transporters, they will know exactly where their trucks are and how long they have been there. It creates transparency and improves efficiency across the board,” he explained.
The Coordinating Secretary, Joint Association of Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders, Apapa, Dominic Chukwuemeka, lamented the rampant racketeering surrounding the Eto e-call-up system, blaming it for the persistent congestion and disorder along the Apapa port access roads.
While Chukwuemeka acknowledged that the Eto system was designed to streamline cargo movement and eliminate chaos, he noted that fraudulent practices have undermined its effectiveness.
“Officially, Eto is N20,750, but due to racketeering, it now costs N250,000, N350,000, even N400,000, depending on demand. That’s the situation we find ourselves in,” he stated.
According to him, many of the trucks causing gridlock have acquired fake or mismatched Eto tickets, often using different plate numbers to game the system.
“Some truckers remove their original plate numbers and attach fake ones that match the ticket just to get through the port gate. After loading, they switch back. That’s how bad it is,” he explained.
He added that the association is pushing for a new reform in the Eto booking system, where tickets are tied directly to the container number and bill of lading, rather than a truck’s license plate.
Meanwhile, the Chairman, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Apapa Chapter, Eze Uchendu, decried the inefficiencies of terminal operators in facilitating the movement of cargoes, stating that possessing an Eto call-up ticket is no longer a guarantee for accessing the port.
Uchendu further accused terminal operators of deliberately slowing down operations to increase storage and demurrage charges, leading to huge financial losses for freight agents and their clients.
He estimated that APMT-induced delays often cost agents over N1.6 million, with charges running into trillions of naira cumulatively across the sector.
“You want to load a container, and it takes five days, yet you’re charged for those five days. Positioning a container for scanning takes another five days, with daily charges of over N40,000. This is daylight robbery. These are foreign firms siphoning funds out of Nigeria. It’s stealing, plain and simple. This is unacceptable,” he stated.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Apapa Port Chapter, Mr. Chukumalu Emeka, expressed frustration with certain terminal operators, particularly uncoordinated truck drivers who have contributed to the chaos at port access roads.
The ANLCA chairman added that the current training aims to sanitise the port access system and eliminate the manipulation and racketeering that have plagued the logistics chain.
“With this training, we are setting the record straight. We’re working with enforcement to ensure that traffic on the access road is eliminated. The goal is that if you have no business at the port, you stay off the road,” Emeka noted.
He further explained the intended post-training procedure, noting that once a freight forwarder has obtained their Eto ticket, they should liaise directly with TTP to engage a truck.
Emeka said once the truck is assigned and cleared with the necessary documents, like the bill of lading, it should go straight into the port without any delay or obstruction.