The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has reaffirmed that the electronic call-up system regulating the entry and exit of trucks at the nation’s seaports will remain in place, despite pushback from some freight forwarding groups.
The agency described the digital traffic management platform as one of the most successful reforms ever implemented to improve efficiency at Nigerian ports.
The NPA’s General Manager of Corporate and Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, disclosed this in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Monday, while reacting to mounting calls for the suspension of the system at Onne Port by freight forwarders.
NPA Call-Up System: A Permanent Digital Reform
Reiterating that the call-up system has come to stay, Onyemekara explained that its replication at Onne Port followed its proven success in Lagos, particularly at the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports.
According to him, the e-call-up platform—known as Ètò—has drastically reduced gridlock, improved truck scheduling, and enhanced port efficiency in the Lagos corridor.
“The call-up system has come to stay,” Onyemekara said.
“Its success in the Lagos area is what we are replicating at Onne Port. If some groups are against it, others are embracing it because they have seen its positive impact. It’s not about opinions; it’s about results.”
He added that the system remains one of the NPA’s most strategic digital interventions, aimed at eliminating congestion and restoring sanity to port access roads that had long been plagued by disorderly truck movements.
Freight Forwarders Oppose New Onne Call-Up System
The latest dispute arose after the Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON), in a letter to the NPA Managing Director, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, protested the introduction of the call-up system at the Onne Port.
APFFLON’s National President, Frank Ogunojemite, described the new system as “commercially driven” and “counterproductive,” arguing that the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) already has functional infrastructure to regulate traffic within the port without incurring extra costs.
“This development is troubling, especially considering the Federal Government’s continuous efforts to reduce the cost of port operations and promote the ease of doing business,” Ogunojemite said.
“Adding more charges through a duplicative call-up system undermines these objectives and threatens Nigeria’s competitiveness as a maritime hub.”
He further claimed that the new policy introduces additional levies and bureaucratic hurdles that could discourage exporters and force them to reroute shipments through neighbouring West African ports, ultimately hurting Nigeria’s non-oil export ambitions.
Concerns Over Export Terminal Bottlenecks
Ogunojemite highlighted emerging challenges at the Onne export terminal, where exporters face new costs and operational delays linked to the call-up arrangement.
He warned that such inefficiencies risk derailing the federal government’s non-oil export growth agenda.
“These inefficiencies and rising costs not only impede business operations but also risk driving exporters to neighbouring countries.
We appeal to the NPA to suspend the new call-up system at Onne pending stakeholder consultations and a cost-benefit review,” he said.
He also urged the NPA to ensure policy uniformity across all ports, particularly where existing infrastructure—like that of WACT—already guarantees effective traffic management.
According to him, addressing the associated bottlenecks and charges at Onne would help boost export activities and align with national trade facilitation goals.
Call-Up System in Nigeria’s Ports: Background and Functionality
The NPA call-up system, officially named Ètò, was launched to regulate truck movement into the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports in Lagos.
Developed as a public-private partnership, the system serves as a truck scheduling and electronic booking platform that coordinates access to the ports through approved holding bays.
Under the framework, truck owners register on the Ètò app, book appointments, and only proceed to the port when called up through the digital platform.
The objective is to minimize congestion, prevent illegal parking along port corridors, and improve cargo evacuation efficiency.
The success of the system in Lagos inspired its extension to Onne Port in Rivers State.
According to the NPA, the platform has significantly improved port operations, reduced truck turnaround time, and eliminated much of the notorious traffic congestion that previously crippled port access roads.
NPA Defends Expansion, Pledges Continued Stakeholder Engagement
While freight forwarders have voiced concerns over the Onne call-up system, Onyemekara maintained that the platform’s expansion is a strategic part of the NPA’s modernization drive.
He emphasized that the system was not designed to burden port users but to promote efficiency, transparency, and safety.
“The call-up system has reduced corruption, improved turnaround time, and restored sanity to port logistics in Lagos. We cannot afford to abandon a working system,” Onyemekara said.
“We will continue to engage stakeholders to refine operations where necessary, but the system itself is non-negotiable.”
He stressed that logistics challenges at Nigerian ports predated the system and that technology remains the most sustainable way to address congestion and inefficiencies in cargo movement.
Stakeholders Call for Policy Balance
Maritime analysts argue that while the call-up system has improved traffic management in Lagos, it must be implemented with sensitivity to regional operational realities.
They recommend stakeholder consultations, cost audits, and digital training to ensure uniform adoption without unnecessary cost escalation.
Industry observers further note that the Onne Port call-up expansion, if well managed, could deepen Nigeria’s competitiveness in regional trade and support the Federal Government’s Port Modernization Programme, a key pillar of the Blue Economy Policy.
Call-Up System Remains Integral to Port Reforms
As the debate continues, the NPA’s firm stance suggests that the call-up system will remain an integral part of port reform in Nigeria.
While freight forwarders are pushing for a review, the Authority insists the system has proven to be an effective model for regulating port logistics.
By combining technology with structured operations, the NPA believes Nigeria is on a sustainable path to achieving smarter, safer, and more efficient port operations — a critical step toward restoring the country’s position as West Africa’s maritime hub.
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