Black marketers hijack NPA’s e-call up system, sell tickets for N300, 000 – APFFLON

The Electronic Truck Call-Up System (ETO), introduced by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to eliminate the notorious Apapa gridlock and streamline port logistics, is currently being undermined by a black market operation, according to the Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON).

In a statement issued by its President, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, and made available to Maritime Today online, APFFLON revealed that genuine access to ETO slots is being sold illicitly for as high as ₦300,000 per slot.

Ogunojemite stated that APFFLON has received numerous complaints from freight forwarders, truck operators, and logistics service providers indicating that legitimate access to the ETO platform has become increasingly difficult.

“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, ” he said.

The practice of selling slots for exorbitant amounts, Ogunojemite said is 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, ” the statement said.

To restore sanity and confidence in the port system, APFFLON demanded
the immediate convening of the postponed stakeholders’ engagement meeting with the NPA Managing Director to deliberate on the inaccessibility and abuse of the ETO platform.

A comprehensive audit and review of the ETO system to identify loopholes exploited by unauthorized operators and the establishment of a transparent, user-friendly, and monitored process to restore public confidence in the ETO platform.

“Collaboration with stakeholders, including freight forwarders’ associations, truck owners, and regulatory agencies, to ensure that the ETO aligns fully with trade facilitation standards, ”

APFFLON reaffirmed 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.

It, however, urged the NPA management to treat the 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.