The Nigerian trucking sector within the maritime industry is increasingly falling under the control of an influential and unidentified cabal, exacerbating corruption and unethical dealings. Stakeholders have raised alarms over the lack of transparency and accountability, which continues to undermine fair business operations within the industry.
Rising Concerns Over Port Haulage Control
According to Adeshina Ajibola, the Head of the Technical Department of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), internal elements within the system are fueling the crisis. He emphasized that a fully automated trucking system would not only dismantle the power of these cartels but also create a level playing field for all truck operators.
Ajibola revealed that the current manual system allows these cartels to exploit truckers, citing that an evacuation call-up costs around N250,000 per truck. With about 45 trucks involved daily, a single operator could generate over N11,250,000 per day, amounting to N225,000,000 monthly.
He criticized the preferential treatment enjoyed by select trucking firms, arguing that if automation were properly implemented, job allocations would be transparent. This would ensure that truckers could predict when they would access the ports for cargo evacuation, just as seen in advanced economies.
Manipulation of the Call-Up System
Supporting Ajibola’s stance, Mr. Yinka Aroyewun, the President of the Council of Maritime Unions and Associations (COMTUA), highlighted how the call-up system, managed by Truck Transit Parks Limited on behalf of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has failed due to corruption. While designed to be free of human interference, the system has been hijacked by influential actors who exploit it for personal gains.
Aroyewun revealed that some truckers now pay between N250,000 and N300,000 for call-up tickets that should be issued freely. He questioned the system’s integrity, noting that the Lagos State Government’s enforcement teams continue to arrest vehicles violating regulations. This indicates that the so-called queuing system is non-functional and has been overtaken by vested interests.
The Need for Full Automation
Both industry experts insist that the only solution to curb corruption and dismantle the growing influence of the cabal is the full automation of the trucking subsector. Without automation, loopholes will continue to be exploited, allowing a few individuals to maintain a stronghold over the industry while ordinary truckers suffer.
For the industry to thrive, stakeholders must push for reforms that will eliminate manual processes and introduce transparency-driven digital systems. This transformation would not only restore fairness but also enhance efficiency within Nigeria’s maritime logistics sector.
For further insights into how automation can revolutionize Nigeria’s logistics industry, read this report from the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
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