From Chaos to Order: How Ètò Transformed Apapa Port through Digital Innovation

For years, the gridlock around Apapa Port in Lagos was more than just an inconvenience. It was a national crisis that crippled businesses, frustrated truckers, drained productivity and dented Nigeria’s reputation as West Africa’s commercial hub. The queues of trucks stretched for miles, sometimes reaching as far as Jibowu or Onipanu. Container haulage costs soared beyond ₦1 million per trip. Businesses lost billions to delays, and no matter how many committees or task forces were set up, the chaos persisted.

Few people witnessed this dysfunction as closely as Madam B. Olufunmilayo Olotu, an independent maritime analyst, former Port Manager of Calabar Port, and the 26th Port Manager of Lagos Port Complex. When she assumed office in 2019, she decided not to rely on reports but to see the situation for herself.

“I had to do an ‘Undercover Boss’ experiment to gauge the tempo and gain first-hand knowledge of the chaos I was going to correct,” she recalled.

What she found was a system overwhelmed by inefficiency, human interference, and a culture resistant to change.

The Turning Point: Introducing Ètò

Everything changed in February 2021 when the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), in partnership with Trucks Transit Parks Limited (TTP) and the Lagos State Government (LASG), rolled out the Ètò electronic call-up system. For the first time, truck movement into Apapa became digitized.

For the first time, truck access to the ports was digitized. Ètò replaced chaos with coordination through key innovations, including:

● Digital Scheduling: Truckers booked port access online, eliminating random and unauthorized truck entries.

● Certified Parks and Pre-Gate: Only trucks waiting in designated parks could be called to the port.

● Central Monitoring Dashboard: Authorities gained visibility into truck movement in real time.

● Transparency and Control: Automation reduced corruption and human interference.

The results were dramatic! Traffic flow improved significantly. Trucks that once took weeks to enter the port could now complete their journey within two to three days, depending on distance. Container haulage costs, previously in the range of ₦1,000,000, dropped to between ₦200,000 and ₦400,000, depending on the destination of the truck. Cargo dwell time inside the port also reduced, while truckers could make more trips and earn more income.

Building Trust Through Collaboration

For Madam Olotu, one of the biggest wins of Ètò wasn’t just in decongesting the roads; it was in rebuilding trust and improving collaboration among stakeholders.

● The NPA collaborated seamlessly with security agencies, LASTMA, and the Lagos State Government.

● Terminal operators could share updates on capacity and readiness in real time.

● Trucking associations were included in onboarding and sensitization.

● Disputes dropped sharply because automation replaced subjective human decision-making.

“It was a collective effort. Real-time information sharing and joint enforcement made it possible to achieve results that had eluded previous interventions,” she said.

Overcoming Resistance

As with every major reform, Ètò faced stiff opposition from vested interests that benefited from the old, chaotic, manual system. There were cases of forged permits, swapped number plates, and even physical threats to officials. Connectivity issues and limited holding bays also tested the system’s resilience.

However, through constant stakeholder engagement, public sensitization, the expansion of certified pre-gates and parks, and regular technical upgrades by TTP, the resistance gradually decreased.

TTP’s Role: Professionalism and Responsiveness

Madam Olotu credited TTP’s professionalism and responsiveness as critical to the success of Ètò.

“They worked around the clock to provide technical and field support. They took feedback seriously and incorporated it into system upgrades. Their transparency and partnership mindset built confidence among all players,” she noted.

A Model for West Africa

Beyond Apapa and Nigeria, Madam Olotu believes the Ètò offers a roadmap for other ports across West Africa, from Abidjan to Tema to Cotonou.

“Ètò represents a practical solution to the decades-long crisis in port logistics. It should be embraced, supported, and continually improved as it has the capacity to revolutionize management of trade corridors in Nigeria and beyond.”

As West Africa deepens economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), systems like Ètò can ensure smoother cargo movement, enhance transparency, and attract investment into the region’s logistics sector.

Takeaway

Apapa’s story is proof that transparent policy, paired with innovative technology, can fix problems that committees and task forces could not. Ètò transformed chaos into order, reduced costs, restored efficiency, and rebuilt trust among stakeholders. For Nigeria and indeed for West Africa, Ètò is more than a system; it is a blueprint for how public-private partnerships, backed by digital innovation, can reshape the future of trade, one truck, one trip, and one corridor at a time.

[Sponsored]

Source: Legit.ng