The Lagos State Government has criticized the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for shifting operational emphasis from Lagos ports to the Warri Port Complex, a move the authority says is aimed at easing congestion at Apapa and Tin Can Island.
Recent operational data released by the NPA shows improved efficiency and cargo throughput at the rejuvenated Warri and Koko ports, suggesting early gains from the strategic shift. But Lagos officials insist the problem lies not with the ports themselves, but with entrenched practices within the NPA.
Senior Special Assistant to Governor Babajide Sanwo‑Olu on Transportation and Logistics, Adekoya Hassan, said Lagos ports are being unfairly blamed.
“The NPA’s decision to divert attention from Lagos Ports to Warri due to congestion highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul of its policies. Governor Sanwo‑Olu has remained committed to resolving the traffic situation, but entrenched institutional practices within the NPA continue to undermine progress,” he said.
Hassan identified multiple bottlenecks: excessive toll points, a malfunctioning e‑call‑up system, favoritism and racketeering, abuse of authority by senior officials, and misleading narratives pushed through truck unions.
These, he argued, are the real drivers of the persistent logjam on the Apapa corridor.
“Unpopular Choice”
According to Hassan, if the NPA modernized its operational framework in line with current economic realities, congestion at Apapa would reduce significantly, making the shift to Warri unnecessary.
He described the move as “an unpopular choice” that fails to address the root causes of inefficiency.
He emphasized the need to present the accurate picture to President Bola Tinubu, insisting that the NPA’s internal practices remain the major driver of the crisis.
Eastern leaders had long argued that the neglect of ports in the region was emasculating its economy and contributing to inflation.
Lagos leaders had always pushed for the concentration of port activity in Lagos to fuel its economy. Faced with a political economic decision, President Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, may now be willing to consider a decentralization of port operation, with its enormous national economic and strategic benefits.
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