The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has berated the authorities of the Nigerian Ports Authority over what the association perceives as delay in stakeholders engagement and also in the operations of the traffic management application called eto. A press statement from the office of the president of the association, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite reads in full:
The leadership of the Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) wishes to formally express deep concern over the delay in the much-anticipated stakeholders’ engagement with the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to address the growing challenges surrounding the Electronic Truck Call-Up System (ETO).
The ETO platform, introduced by the NPA as a cornerstone of the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business and Trade Facilitation initiatives, was designed to eliminate the notorious gridlock around the nation’s ports, streamline truck movements, and promote transparency in port logistics operations. Unfortunately, recent developments have revealed that the system is now plagued by severe accessibility challenges.
APFFLON has received numerous complaints from freight forwarders, truck operators, and logistics service providers indicating that genuine access to the ETO platform has become increasingly difficult. Meanwhile, reports abound that access to the ETO is being sold illicitly in the black market for as high as ₦300,000 per slot, creating an artificial bottleneck that directly undermines the system’s integrity and purpose.
This unacceptable situation has not only crippled the operations of legitimate transporters and freight forwarders but also introduced new layers of corruption and operational inefficiencies, all of which run contrary to the Federal Government’s objectives of promoting transparency and facilitating trade within the maritime sector.
It is regrettable that the requested stakeholders’ engagement with the NPA Managing Director — which was intended to address these very issues — has suffered undue delay. This delay has allowed the problem to fester, further frustrating industry players and tarnishing Nigeria’s image as a business-friendly maritime hub.
As the President of APFFLON, I must emphasize that the current situation poses a serious threat to the Ease of Doing Business policy and the broader efforts of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC). The black-market manipulation of ETO access contradicts the principles of accountability and efficiency that the NPA and the Federal Government have pledged to uphold.
APFFLON therefore makes the following demands:
1. The immediate convening of the postponed stakeholders’ engagement meeting with the Managing Director of NPA to deliberate on the inaccessibility and abuse of the ETO platform.
2. A comprehensive audit and review of the ETO system to identify loopholes exploited by unauthorised operators.
3. The establishment of a transparent, user-friendly, and monitored process to restore public confidence in the ETO platform.
4. Collaboration with stakeholders, including freight forwarders’ associations, truck owners, and regulatory agencies, to ensure that the ETO aligns fully with trade facilitation standards.
APFFLON reaffirms its commitment to partnering with the NPA and all relevant authorities to ensure that Nigeria’s port operations reflect the efficiency, transparency, and integrity that are vital to international trade competitiveness.
We urge the NPA Management to treat this matter with utmost urgency to prevent further erosion of stakeholder confidence and to realign the ETO system with the Federal Government’s noble objectives for the maritime industry.
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