Jámà Ọnwụbụarịrị, the managing director of Trucks Transit Parks Ltd (TTP), has outlined the company’s achievements in transforming Nigeria’s ports logistics while unveiling ambitious plans to expand its solutions across the ECOWAS region.
Speaking to journalists at a press conference held at the Lilypond Container Terminal in Lagos, Wednesday, Ọnwụbụarịrị stressed that Nigeria’s maritime and logistics sector remains the “backbone of commerce,” given that over 90% of the country’s daily consumer and industrial needs rely on imports delivered through its ports.
He highlighted the challenges that plagued the system for over a decade before 2021: perennial gridlock, unsafe trucks, racketeering, and human interference in port access.
“It was against this backdrop that Trucks Transit Parks introduced the Ètò electronic call-up system in 2021,” he said, noting that the platform combined technology, infrastructure, and stakeholder collaboration to restore order to Lagos port corridors.
Before Ètò (pre-2021):
- Truckers waited 2–3 weeks to access Lagos ports.
- Only <50 trucks evacuated daily out of 1,600 in chaos.
- Nigeria’s maritime sector lost ₦2.5 trillion annually due to inefficiencies.
- Cargo costs surged 450%.
After Ètò (2021–2025):
- 3 million truck movements processed in 54 months.
- 65% reduction in logistics cost.
- 2–3 days turnaround time, down from weeks.
- 225 direct jobs and 700 indirect jobs created.
- 170 new features deployed to enhance transparency and customer experience.
- 400+ trucks daily throughput achieved (up from 40 trucks/day).
- $1.7 million annual savings for maritime industry.
- Contributed to Nigeria’s Logistics Performance Index (LPI) improvement.
- Integration with CBN’s NXP system to streamline exports.
- Strengthened collaboration with key stakeholders including the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Lagos State Government, terminal operators, unions, and security agencies.
“Access to the ports is no longer based on who you know, but on a transparent, technology-enabled process,” Ọnwụbụarịrị emphasized.
Regional Ambitions: From Lagos to ECOWAS
The TTP boss also revealed that his recent strategic tour across West African trade routes—from Ouagadougou to Abidjan and Monrovia, exposed a common dependence on trucking, coupled with inefficiencies at borders and toll points.
He argued that Nigeria’s Ètò model can serve as a regional framework for harmonised truck scheduling, rest stops, and electronic tolling across ECOWAS.
Such integration, he said, would fast-track goods movement, reduce costs, and support the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“TTP stands ready to partner with ECOWAS governments to make seamless intra-African trade not just a vision, but a reality,” he declared.
Looking Ahead
Outlining TTP’s roadmap, Ọnwụbụarịrị listed three key priorities for TTP, as deepening efficiency at Nigerian ports through data-driven solutions, stronger enforcement, and infrastructure upgrades; expanding technology footprint with innovations like electronic tags, RFID, and AI-powered compliance systems, and driving regional integration by positioning Trucks Transit Parks as a trusted partner in West Africa’s logistics space.
Ọnwụbụarịrị commended the Nigerian media for playing a watchdog role and urged continued partnership in shaping public discourse.
“When the ports work, Nigeria works. And when Nigeria works, Africa prospers,” he concluded.
