Rising Extortion at Lagos Ports Fuels Return of Apapa Gridlock

Kathy Kyari

The notorious Apapa traffic gridlock is creeping back, sparking outrage among port users and residents who allege that a powerful syndicate comprising state and non-state actors are raking in millions of naira daily from truckers through illegal tolls.

Despite previous interventions to ease port access, the chaos appears to be returning full circle. Commuters, residents, and port workers now face renewed evening congestion as trucks and tankers flood the roads leading to Lagos ports, particularly around Tin Can Island and Apapa.

Investigations by the Network of Nigerian Maritime Journalists (NNMJ) revealed that while roads remain relatively free during the day, heavy traffic builds from evening, with long queues stretching from Costain and Mile 2 into the port corridors.

From the Ijora-Olopa Bridge to Apapa and from Coconut Bus Stop to Tin Can Island’s gates, truck drivers allegedly pay between ₦30,000 and ₦50,000 to secure spots in the queue—fees reportedly collected by a network of enforcers under the watch of compromised officials.

Sources allege that officials from key agencies including the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Nigeria Police are complicit in the racket, turning a blind eye while traffic conditions deteriorate.

The worst-hit areas include Wharf Road, Warehouse Road, Commercial Road, Burma Road, and Creek Road, where motorists are often forced to abandon their vehicles and continue their journey on motorcycles, especially after 5 p.m.

Former National Coordinator of the Port Standing Task Team (PSTT), Moses Fadipe, linked the resurgence to the re-emergence of vested interests that previously profited from the disorder.

"The Lagos State Government knows what steps to take to prevent a full-blown crisis,” Fadipe said, warning that the situation could escalate without swift government action.

In a similar tone, Martins Enibeli, President of the Nigerian Institute of Shipping (NIS) and the Nigerian Licensed Ship Chandlers Association (NILSCA), blamed the relapse on government insincerity and poor transport planning.

“Bonded terminals should be relocated far from the ports and connected by rail. Government must stop concentrating port operations in the West while neglecting other regions,” Enibeli stated.

A senior port official, who requested anonymity, confirmed that a syndicate involving multiple agencies and non-state operatives are exploiting the congestion for profit, collecting illegal fees from truckers in exchange for access.

Stakeholders are now urging urgent federal intervention to dismantle the alleged extortion ring and restore sanity to Apapa’s transport corridors, warning that the return of the gridlock could once again cripple Nigeria’s busiest seaport district.