Day-after-day, the Lekki-Epe Expressway bears the burden of a whole lot of articulated vans ferrying cargo from key installations together with the Lekki Free Commerce Zone, Dangote Refinery, and the Lekki Deep Sea Port, together with different industrial and business services lining the hall.
With just one main entry and exit route, the hall has change into a stress level the place a surge in industrial actions meets fragile infrastructure.
To stop a significant future site visitors disaster much like the one which plagued Apapa and Tin Can ports just a few years in the past, the Lagos State Authorities reintroduced its digital call-up system on June 16, 2025, after suspending it in March.
First launched in September 2024, the system was designed to control the circulation of vans utilizing a digital scheduling platform. The renewed effort is seen as a transfer to keep away from a repeat of the gridlock that after crippled entry to Apapa and Tin Can ports earlier than reforms improved the scenario.
What we learn about Lagos’ e-call-up rollout on the Lekki-Epe hall
The Lagos State Authorities revealed that between 360 and 400 vans at the moment function on the Lekki-Epe hall each day. Nonetheless, with growing industrial exercise from the Lekki Deep Sea Port, Dangote Refinery, the Lekki Free Commerce Zone, and different main developments, that determine might climb to between 3,000 and 4,000 vans per day, in keeping with projections by the Ministry of Transportation.
This raises issues that the hall’s solely main entry street might change into overwhelmed.
To handle this anticipated surge, the federal government reintroduced a structured digital call-up system. Vans are required to register on a digital platform (mycallup.com) and stay in considered one of seven designated holding bays till summoned electronically. Every truck should additionally carry a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag to allow real-time monitoring and enforcement.
- In contrast to the system at Apapa and Tin Can ports—the place the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) takes the lead—the Lekki hall’s model is overseen by the Lagos State Authorities in collaboration with non-public sector companions.
- On the system’s preliminary rollout in September 2024, 5 holding bays have been established throughout places together with Okorisan and Poka in Epe, in addition to websites close to the Dangote Refinery and HFP Brick Business. By June 2025, the variety of holding bays had grown to seven.
- Based on Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, truck motion is restricted throughout peak site visitors intervals—between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m., and once more from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.—to reduce disruption to commuters.
- Enforcement is carried out by LASTMA, the Automobile Inspection Workplace (VIO), the Police, and the Lagos Taskforce utilizing RFID scanners to validate truck motion.
Initially, a N2,500 levy was charged per truck to assist infrastructure and logistics. Nonetheless, throughout the June 2025 relaunch, the price was raised to N12,500—sparking backlash from teams such because the Impartial Petroleum Entrepreneurs Affiliation of Nigeria (IPMAN), the Maritime Employees Union of Nigeria (MWUN), and the Nationwide Affiliation of Street Transport House owners (NARTO).
How the e-call-up system works in follow
From conversations with stakeholders, it’s clear that the system, at the very least in its early days, confirmed promise.
Chinedu Ukadike, Nationwide Publicity Secretary of the Impartial Petroleum Entrepreneurs Affiliation of Nigeria (IPMAN), instructed Nairametrics that the primary rollout helped cut back friction between drivers and haulage operators.
“Vans stayed in designated holding bays and solely moved when summoned through the app,” he mentioned.
“It made the method extra orderly. You didn’t must battle your approach ahead or pay to be referred to as up first.”
He added that the initiative considerably diminished disputes and corruption within the hall. “Earlier than the system, it was who-you-know. Now, it’s who-is-called. That alone introduced some peace.”
Ukadike defined that on the preliminary N2,500 levy, this system appeared affordable and supported primary companies like signage and upkeep. Nonetheless, that goodwill started to erode when the price jumped to N12,500 per truck within the June 2025 relaunch.
An expensive reset: Resistance from the street
On the day enforcement resumed, tensions flared over the brand new N12,500 price required for vans accessing the hall. The Maritime Employees Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and the Nationwide Affiliation of Street Transport House owners (NARTO) pushed again, calling the cost extreme and poorly communicated.
IPMAN instructed its members to boycott the hall, warning that the rise might destabilize gas distribution throughout Lagos.
“This new quantity is bigoted and dangers growing gas pump costs,” Ukadike mentioned.
Nonetheless, the strike was short-lived. Two days after asserting the boycott, IPMAN suspended the motion following a dedication from the Lagos State Authorities to start negotiations.
Nonetheless, issues stay over whether or not the levy displays precise service enhancements or is solely one other monetary burden. As of now, there has but to be a decision between the Lagos State Authorities, IPMAN, and different stakeholders on whether or not the N12,500 levy can be maintained, reviewed, or diminished.
Voices from the hall: What residents are saying
For residents residing alongside the Lekki-Epe hall, the return of truck enforcement has drawn blended reactions. Whereas some fear in regards to the potential for future gridlock, others say truck exercise just isn’t the principle reason for the realm’s congestion.
Asukwo Ndem, a resident who lives close to the hall, mentioned site visitors congestion tends to happen throughout peak hours however just isn’t straight tied to truck motion. He famous that in contrast to the scenario alongside the Apapa and Tin Can ports hall in earlier years, vans on the Lekki-Epe axis usually don’t park alongside the street or impede site visitors.
“To date, truck actions haven’t disrupted my each day commute,” he mentioned.
“Sure, there’s site visitors, however it’s largely because of the rising variety of folks and vehicles utilizing the hall for work and enterprise.”
Immanuel Alabi, one other resident, recognized inhabitants development and commuting patterns as the actual stress factors on the street. He noticed that site visitors is often intense between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., particularly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
“The vans aren’t the principle downside,” he mentioned.
“The excessive variety of non-public vehicles and minibusses is what causes many of the congestion, and that’s tied to the overall inhabitants stress within the state.”
Alabi added that whereas the BRT system operates alongside the hall, it’s not as dependable or constant as in areas like Ikorodu, Ikeja, Egbeda, or Lagos Island the place commuters can rely upon it as a main mode of transport. He believes a extra environment friendly service within the space might assist cut back the variety of non-public vehicles on the street.
Skilled view on the initiative
Transport methods researcher Tonami Playman, who spoke to Nairametrics, believes the state’s strategy misses the purpose. His evaluation focuses on the Lekki Deep Sea Port, which he identifies as a significant generator of truck site visitors alongside the hall, however his insights reveal broader issues.
“From the onset, Lagos operated on the defective assumption that gatekeeping truck entry and exit would resolve congestion,” he acknowledged.
“However you may’t coordinate your approach out of inefficiency.”
- Playman argued that truck turnaround occasions are primarily influenced by the effectivity of cargo dealing with on the ports moderately than surface-level scheduling methods. He famous that when port clearance processes stretch into double-digit hours resulting from handbook paperwork and inspections, it turns into practically unimaginable for truck operators to satisfy designated motion home windows, making the call-up system ineffective by itself.
- He warned that except the Lekki port bottleneck is resolved, congestion will spill over to the remainder of the hall and have an effect on all the opposite industries working within the space.
- He advocates for the digitization of cargo dealing with, the elimination of human-led inspections, and full automation. He pointed to the success of the Regional Digital Cargo Monitoring System (RECTS) utilized in East Africa, the place turnaround occasions at Mombasa port now common seven hours.
“In Lagos, you continue to have folks bodily inspecting vans, stamping papers, and creating backlogs. Repair that, after which your e-call-up turns into an asset, not a Band-Assist,” Playman famous.
He additionally burdened that any system making an attempt to control motion should be backed by useful port operations. In any other case, you’re managing signs, not curing the illness.
The broader context helps his place.
- Based on the 2025 State of Africa’s Infrastructure report by the Africa Finance Company (AFC), solely two African ports—Tanger Med in Morocco and Port Mentioned in Egypt—rank among the many world’s high 100 in effectivity.
- Tanger Med ranked 4th globally, whereas Port Mentioned got here in sixteenth, based mostly on the World Bank and S&P World’s 2023 Container Port Efficiency Index.
- The report highlights the persistent inefficiencies in African port methods, citing lengthy cargo dwell occasions, poor hinterland connectivity, and underdeveloped logistics infrastructure as key challenges.
Regardless of rising cargo volumes and elevated non-public sector funding, many African ports proceed to depend on outdated methods which might be poorly built-in with inland logistics. This has led to excessive prices, delays, and widespread congestion—points Lagos should resolve if its site visitors administration reforms are to succeed.
Outlook
Lagos’ second try and handle truck site visitors on the Lekki-Epe hall highlights the problem of holding tempo with speedy industrial development. Whereas the e-call-up system brings order, its success will depend on extra environment friendly operations on the Lekki Deep Sea Port.
- Round 400 vans at the moment use the hall each day, however that quantity is anticipated to rise as industrial exercise expands. Dangote Refinery, already processing 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, plans to start gas distribution in August utilizing 4,000 CNG-powered tankers.
- The corporate had earlier proposed transferring as much as 75% of its gas deliveries by sea to ports in Warri, Port Harcourt, and Calabar—a plan that might ease street stress, although there’s been no latest replace.
Whereas residents say congestion is pushed extra by inhabitants development and automobile use than truck motion, tensions over the N12,500 levy stay unresolved. The true check lies in bettering port effectivity and scaling infrastructure earlier than congestion turns into unmanageable.
Be First to Comment