The Lagos State Government has criticised the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, over its decision to shift operational emphasis from Lagos ports to the Warri Port Complex, a move the authority says is designed to ease congestion at Apapa and Tin Can Island ports.
Recent operational data released by the NPA indicates improved efficiency and cargo throughput at the rejuvenated Warri and Koko ports, signalling early gains from the strategic shift.
However, the Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Transportation and Logistics, Adekoya Hassan, maintained that Lagos ports are not the root of the problem.
Instead, he blamed long-standing policy shortcomings within the NPA for the gridlock that has plagued the Apapa corridor for years.
In an interview with Vanguard, Hassan said: “The NPA’s decision to divert attention from Lagos Ports to Warri due to congestion highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul of its policies. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has remained committed to resolving the traffic situation, but entrenched institutional practices within the NPA continue to undermine progress.”
He identified multiple bottlenecks, including excessive toll points, a malfunctioning e-call-up system, favouritism and racketeering, abuse of authority by senior officials, and misleading narratives pushed through truck unions, as key contributors to the persistent logjam.
Hassan noted that if the NPA reviewed and modernised its operational framework in line with current economic realities, congestion at Apapa would reduce significantly, making the shift to Warri unnecessary and, in his words, “an unpopular choice.”
He emphasised the need to present the accurate picture to President Bola Tinubu, insisting that the NPA’s internal practices remain a major driver of the congestion crisis around Lagos ports.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
