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The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has raised alarm over what it described as the “worsening abuse and inaccessibility” of the Nigerian Ports Authority’s (NPA) Electronic Truck Call-Up System (ETO), calling for immediate intervention by the Authority’s Managing Director.
In a strongly worded statement signed by its President, Otunba Frank, the association expressed deep concern over the prolonged delay in convening the long-promised stakeholders’ engagement meeting meant to address mounting challenges with the system.
The ETO platform, introduced by the NPA to streamline truck traffic around ports and eliminate the perennial Apapa gridlock, was a flagship component of the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business and Trade Facilitation agenda. However, APFFLON said the system has now been hijacked by unscrupulous operators who reportedly sell ETO access slots for as high as ₦300,000 in the black market.
“This unacceptable development has crippled the operations of legitimate truckers and freight forwarders while breeding corruption and inefficiency – the very problems ETO was meant to solve,” Otunba Frank said.
He warned that the failure to tackle the issue urgently threatens Nigeria’s Ease of Doing Business ranking and undermines the credibility of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) reforms. “The black-market manipulation of ETO access contradicts the principles of accountability and transparency that the NPA and Federal Government have pledged to uphold,” he added.
APFFLON called for the immediate convening of the postponed stakeholders’ meeting with the NPA Managing Director to deliberate on the ETO’s failings and propose corrective actions.
The association also demanded a comprehensive audit of the ETO platform to uncover loopholes exploited by unauthorized operators and the creation of a transparent, user-friendly system that restores industry confidence.
The group further urged closer collaboration between the NPA, freight forwarders, truck owners, and regulatory agencies to ensure that ETO’s operations align with international trade facilitation standards.
APFFLON reaffirmed its readiness to partner with the NPA and other government bodies in repositioning Nigeria’s port logistics system for greater transparency and competitiveness.
“We urge NPA Management to act swiftly to prevent further erosion of stakeholder confidence and to realign the ETO system with the Federal Government’s noble objectives for the maritime industry,” the statement concluded.
