The dreaded Apapa gridlock, once a nightmare for Lagos residents and port users, has returned, reigniting fears of another round of traffic paralysis around Nigeria’s busiest maritime corridor. Despite years of reforms and heavy investments to ease congestion, the chaotic scene of long truck queues, honking tankers, and stranded motorists has re-emerged across key Apapa access routes.
An investigation by the Network of Nigerian Maritime Journalists (NNMJ) revealed that while roads in and out of the port remain relatively free during the day, gridlock begins to build up from evening hours as truckers troop in through the Costain and Mile 2 corridors.
By nightfall, the stretch from Ijora-Olopa Bridge to Apapa and from Coconut Bus Stop to the Tin-Can Island Port gates becomes a sea of stationary trucks. Findings show that many of these truck drivers allegedly pay between ₦30,000 and ₦50,000 to secure a position in the queue, a system reportedly managed by a powerful syndicate benefiting from the chaos.
Sources allege that some personnel from key government 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 illegal toll collection, turning a blind eye as congestion worsens.
The gridlock now chokes critical arteries such as Wharf Road, Warehouse Road, Commercial Road, Burma Road, and Creek Road, crippling movement and logistics. By 5 PM, many motorists abandon their vehicles to continue their journey on motorcycles just to beat the standstill.
Moses Fadipe, former National Coordinator of the Port Standing Task Team (PSTT), described the resurgence as the handiwork of vested interests who previously profited from the disorder. He stressed that the Lagos State Government and relevant authorities already know the measures required to avert a full-scale breakdown of order if only there is the political will to act.
Similarly, Martins Enibeli, President of the Nigerian Institute of Shipping (NIS) and Nigerian Licensed Ship Chandlers Association (NILSCA), blamed the situation on what he termed “government insincerity.” He urged the Federal Government to decentralize port operations and revive rail transport for cargo evacuation to reduce pressure on Lagos ports.
“Bonded terminals should be relocated far from port environments and linked by rail. Government must stop concentrating maritime activities in the West while neglecting Eastern and Delta ports,” Enibeli stated.
A senior port official who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that a network of state and non-state actors is actively profiting from the unregulated toll collection from truckers, an organized scheme that has turned Apapa’s transport nightmare into a lucrative business.
Maritime stakeholders are now calling for urgent federal intervention to dismantle the alleged racketeering cartel, restore order, and protect Nigeria’s trade gateways from complete collapse.
Without decisive action, experts warn, the Apapa traffic crisis could once again undermine port efficiency, increase logistics costs, and erode investor confidence in Nigeria’s maritime sector.