The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) have agreed to deepen their partnership in order to improve ease of doing business, reduce chronic congestion around Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, and fast-track cargo evacuation. The understanding followed a strategic meeting at the NPA’s Marina headquarters in Lagos between NPA managing director Abubakar Dantsoho and ANLCA president Emenike Nwokeoji.
Dantsoho praised the Apapa and Tin Can Island port managers for recent gains in operational efficiency, noting both ports’ inclusion among the World Bank’s top 20 most improved ports as evidence of reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He said the recognition reflects deliberate process mapping, pursuit of excellence, and Nigeria’s growing role in global maritime governance.
The electronic call-up system (Eto), which controls truck movements to and from the ports, was a key topic. Dantsoho acknowledged Eto met its early goals but said higher trade volumes now demand a stronger framework to permanently end traffic gridlock. He also stressed the need for port modernization, upgraded infrastructure, and modern cargo-handling equipment to meet international standards and increase revenue.
Nwokeoji congratulated the NPA on the World Bank ranking and pledged ANLCA’s support for trade-facilitating policies. He asked for ANLCA’s direct involvement in managing and overseeing the Eto, arguing that licensed customs brokers could help prevent racketeering and artificial delays on port access roads. The association also committed to joining a coordinated task force with the NPA, the Nigeria Police Force, and other stakeholders to monitor truck movements and respond quickly to disruptions along the Apapa and Tin Can Island corridors.
