The persistent traffic congestion along the Apapa and Kirikiri corridors in Lagos has been blamed on the activities of petroleum marketers, independent marketers, tanker owners, truck drivers, transport unions and some enforcement agencies, with stakeholders accusing them of sustaining a crisis that continues to cripple businesses, disrupt residents’ daily lives and slow economic activities.
Findings indicate that thousands of businesses, commuters and residents within the Apapa-Kirikiri industrial and commercial corridor continue to suffer significant economic and social losses as a result of the prolonged gridlock.
At the heart of the problem are petroleum distribution operations involving tank farms, tanker operators and logistics activities that have increasingly extended onto public roads.
Although the downstream petroleum sector remains essential for the nationwide distribution of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), diesel, aviation fuel and other petroleum products, stakeholders attributed the recurring congestion to poor logistics planning, inadequate truck holding facilities, indiscriminate roadside parking by fuel tankers, weak enforcement of traffic regulations and alleged corruption.
The situation has resulted in severe traffic congestion, rising transportation costs, deterioration of road infrastructure, delays in cargo evacuation from the ports, disruption of business activities and worsening living conditions for residents of the area.
Major roads linking Apapa, Kirikiri, Coconut and Tin Can Port are frequently occupied by hundreds of petroleum tankers waiting to load products from depots and tank farms, leaving little room for other road users.
Inadequate Holding Bays Worsen Congestion
Investigations revealed that instead of remaining inside designated holding bays, many tanker drivers queue for several kilometres along public roads, reducing multiple-lane highways to a single lane and creating daily traffic bottlenecks.
Several petroleum marketers, including TotalEnergies, Conoil, Bovas Oil, Rahamaniyya, Obat Oil, Techno Oil, Aiteo, MRS Oil, Ardova, NIPCO, Integrated Oil & Gas, Folawiyo Energy, Matrix Energy, Eterna and Northwest Petroleum, operate depots and tank farms around the Naval Base section of Apapa and the Mile 2-Kirikiri corridor.
While traffic around the Naval Base axis remains relatively manageable, congestion along the Mile 2-Kirikiri route continues to pose major challenges for motorists and businesses.
Investigations further showed that although some depots have holding bays constructed to meet regulatory requirements, many are no longer large enough to accommodate the increasing volume of tanker traffic.
Stakeholders also alleged that existing parking facilities are not being effectively utilised because some independent marketers, tanker owners, drivers, transport unions and enforcement officials allegedly prefer roadside operations, where illegal payments are reportedly collected from truck operators.
NARTO Blames Tank Farm Operators
The National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) accused tank farm operators of contributing significantly to the congestion by admitting more trucks than their facilities can accommodate.
NARTO National Secretary, Aloga Gbogo, said many tank farms collect payments from far more trucks than they are capable of loading daily, leaving hundreds of tankers stranded on surrounding roads while awaiting their turn to load petroleum products.
According to him, Apapa has over 60 tank farms, many of which can load about 300 trucks daily but often accept between 500 and 600 trucks, resulting in long queues that obstruct traffic.
He noted that the presence of major industries such as Dangote, BUA and Honeywell within the Apapa axis further compounds the congestion.
Another NARTO official, Inuwa Mohammed, said the Electronic Call-Up System has been effective at the Lekki Deep Sea Port because tanker operators were fully integrated into the system before operations commenced.
He disclosed that NARTO had repeatedly expressed its willingness to integrate into the Apapa Electronic Call-Up System without additional costs but claimed the proposal was rejected by Truck Transit Parks (TTP), the operator of the platform.
Police Deny Responsibility
The Ports Authority Police (Western Command) denied responsibility for the recurring traffic congestion along the Mile 2-Apapa-Kirikiri corridor.
Police spokesperson Isaac Hundeyin explained that the affected section of the expressway does not fall under the operational jurisdiction of the Ports Authority Police.
He stated that the police are collaborating with the Lagos State Police Command, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and transport unions to manage traffic but maintained that the root causes of the congestion extend beyond law enforcement.
According to him, the police cannot provide loading bays or truck holding facilities, as those responsibilities belong to terminal operators and the Nigerian Ports Authority.
He also dismissed allegations that police officers deliberately contribute to the gridlock, stating that officers are deployed to maintain law and order and that lasting solutions require improvements in infrastructure and logistics management.
Key Stakeholders Yet to Respond
Attempts to obtain reactions from the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Maritime, the Commissioner of Police, Ports Authority (Western Command), and the Nigerian Ports Authority were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
Lekki Model Highlighted as Solution
Stakeholders pointed to the Lekki Deep Sea Port as an example of effective traffic management, where dedicated truck parks and strict implementation of the Electronic Call-Up System have significantly improved truck movement and reduced congestion.
They argued that the reluctance of many truck operators in Apapa to fully embrace the electronic scheduling system continues to frustrate efforts aimed at eliminating the long-standing gridlock.
MEMAN Calls for Collective Action
The Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), representing major downstream operators including 11 Plc, TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeria Plc, Conoil Plc, Ardova Plc, NNPC Retail Limited and MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, rejected claims that its members were responsible for the roadside congestion.
MEMAN Chief Executive Officer, Clement Isong, said member depots have designated truck parking and holding areas where trucks remain until scheduled for loading through automated call-up systems designed to regulate movement and prevent unnecessary queues.
He stressed that addressing the recurring traffic congestion requires sustained collaboration among government agencies, regulators, terminal operators and transport unions.
According to him, practical solutions should include strengthening the Electronic Truck Call-Up System, expanding truck holding and transit bays, ensuring that only trucks with valid loading permits are allowed into depot corridors, enforcing strict sanctions against indiscriminate roadside parking and maintaining continuous engagement with transport operators and drivers to ensure compliance with traffic and safety regulations.
Stakeholders believe that unless these measures are fully implemented and all parties work together, the Apapa-Kirikiri corridor will continue to experience traffic congestion that negatively impacts businesses, residents and Nigeria’s broader economy.
Oil Marketers, Tanker Operators, Unions Accused of Fueling Persistent Apapa-Kirikiri Gridlock
