LAGOS — Residents, motorists and business owners along the Berger/Kirikiri corridor have blamed the worsening traffic congestion on the Mile 2-Apapa Expressway on the increasing number of container terminals operating in the area, saying they are largely responsible for the persistent gridlock.
The traffic situation left thousands of commuters stranded for several hours on Monday, forcing many to abandon their journeys and return home.
An auto dealer, Ekene Iruanya, said the congestion became a recurring problem after the container terminals commenced operations. He noted that trucks conveying empty containers to the terminals frequently occupy the highway, creating severe bottlenecks despite the presence of traffic management and security agencies.
According to him, personnel of the Nigerian Navy, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Nigeria Police have been deployed regularly to manage traffic, but their efforts have had little impact due to the large volume of trucks.
He urged the government to relocate or shut down the terminals, arguing that doing so would significantly ease traffic along the road leading to Kirikiri, the Nigerian Correctional Service facilities and the Naval Barracks.
Responding to the allegations, a representative of one of the container terminal operators denied that the facility was solely responsible for the congestion, explaining that several terminals operate within the corridor.
The official, who spoke anonymously, said the terminal currently receives only empty containers and has become busier because other similar facilities are not operating at full capacity.
He explained that the terminal handles between 150 and 200 empty containers daily but can only receive new deliveries after previously stored containers are evacuated to the ports, in line with allocations approved by port authorities.
The official added that most of the trucks contributing to the congestion belong to independent transport operators rather than the terminal itself, stressing that stricter traffic management and proper lane discipline would improve traffic flow.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said it is working with relevant stakeholders and law enforcement agencies to address the recurring congestion along the Mile 2-Apapa port corridor.
NPA spokesperson, Ikechukwu Onyemechara, said a collaborative response mechanism has been established, including a dedicated WhatsApp platform through which agencies can quickly report and respond to traffic incidents.
He urged tanker operators to maintain order and avoid blocking major roads, noting that cooperation among all stakeholders is critical to achieving lasting solutions.
Onyemechara, however, acknowledged that enforcing sanctions against erring tanker operators remains difficult because of threats to suspend fuel lifting, a situation that could trigger fuel shortages.
He also disclosed that some tank farm operators have yet to fully adopt the electronic call-up system introduced to regulate truck movements into the ports.
According to him, the Mile 2 corridor experiences heavier traffic because it serves both tank farm-bound tankers and container trucks, unlike the Apapa port access road, which is less affected by tanker traffic.
Also reacting, the Nigerian Shippers' Council (NSC) said it was yet to confirm the cause of the gridlock.
The Council's Deputy Director of Regulatory Services, Adaora Nwonu, said preliminary reports indicated that the queue consisted mainly of tanker trucks heading to tank farms rather than port-bound cargo trucks.
She added that the council had deployed monitoring teams to assess the situation and determine the cause of the congestion.
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