In Lagos, Africa’s most populous city, traffic congestion was not just a symptom of the city’s bustling metropolis, it was a monster that swallowed up productivity, disrupted logistics, and suffocated economic activities.
The seemingly relentless chaos of trucks, particularly those headed to and from Apapa and Tincan ports, was a major contributor to this traffic nightmare.
With these ports handling the lion’s share of Nigeria’s imports and exports, the sight of trucks queuing up for miles, enduring weeks-long waits just to load or offload cargo, was commonplace.
The result was a city perpetually enmeshed in gridlock, with businesses hemorrhaging profits due to delays and the spiralling costs of moving cargo. This untenable situation threatened not just the vitality of Lagos, but also the broader Nigerian economy.
Into this bleak picture stepped Trucks Transit Parks Ltd (TTP) with a solution christened ‘Ètò’. The electronic call-up system was conceived as a cure for the city’s truck traffic sickness.
A daunting task indeed, but TTP remained undaunted, and twenty-six months on, Ètò has not only tamed the beast of traffic congestion but has transformed it into a model of efficiency.
In the domains of Apapa and Tincan ports, where Ètò has been implemented, the difference is as clear as day and night.
The once notorious truck queues have given way to orderly movement, facilitated by Ètò’s scheduling system.
More than 1,400,000 trucks, both port and non-port bound, have been processed and over 90,000 trucks registered on the Ètò application, a testament to its acceptance and functionality.
The Ètò system has slashed the average turnaround time for port-bound trucks from a staggering two weeks to a more palatable 80 hours. Businesses are reaping the benefits, reporting a substantial reduction in cargo movement costs by 65%. The impact on their bottom line cannot be overstated.
Furthermore, Ètò’s technology has delivered transparency and efficiency to terminal operators. Its tailored IT solutions enable operators to have full visibility, effectively managing their trucks, terminals, and drivers’ performance. The era of guesswork and uncertainty is gradually being eroded.
With the improved traffic situation, there’s been a significant increase in the number of company-specific trucks for industries such as manufacturing, FMCG, and oil tank farms, operating in the Apapa environment. This indicates that businesses previously deterred by the chaotic traffic situation are now willing to operate within the area.
However, the transformative power of Ètò should not be confined to Lagos. Ports across Nigeria groan under the same pressure of congestion and inefficiency. Thus, it’s time to replicate the success story of Lagos in these other ports.
As we stand on the precipice of a transportation revolution in Nigeria, there’s an urgent call for stakeholders to embrace this proven solution. It’s time to break free from the clutches of congestion and inefficiency and unleash the potential of our ports with the Ètò electronic call-up solution.
The story of Ètò’s success is a rallying cry for a digitally-driven, efficient future for all Nigerian ports. As we move into this era, it’s clear that the road ahead once choked with traffic, is now open for progress.
