After months of delays and consultations, the Lagos State Government has set June 16 as the official start date for enforcing its electronic call-up (e-call-up) system on the increasingly congested Lekki-Epe corridor.
The move is aimed at tackling the persistent gridlock caused by heavy-duty vehicles accessing the Lekki Free Zone and the Lekki Deep Sea Port.
The announcement was made Sunday in a statement released by Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation Oluwaseun Osiyemi, following a high-level stakeholders’ meeting chaired by Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat.
The meeting brought together key players from Nigeria’s energy and logistics sectors to address traffic concerns that have worsened with the rapid industrial expansion in the area.
“The e-call-up system is not about revenue collection,” said Hamzat. “It is a critical intervention designed to ensure orderliness, streamline the movement of articulated trucks, and prevent the kind of chaos we witnessed in Apapa.”
Apapa, home to Lagos’ main seaport, has long struggled with paralyzing traffic congestion largely due to unregulated truck movements. With Lekki now emerging as a major commercial hub, state officials say they are determined to avoid repeating that scenario.
According to Osiyemi, prior enforcement efforts were suspended after implementation challenges surfaced, prompting further consultations with stakeholders. However, he said, the state is now ready to move forward and is calling for the immediate removal of all vehicles currently obstructing the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
“We are focused on restoring sanity to the corridor,” Osiyemi said. “The success of this system is crucial not only for traffic decongestion but also for protecting vital road infrastructure and ensuring the safety of all road users.”
More insights
The e-call-up system functions as a scheduling platform, controlling when and how trucks gain access to loading points. It is designed to minimize wait times and reduce indiscriminate parking along roadsides.
Sunday’s meeting drew representatives from some of Nigeria’s most influential transport and energy groups, including the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), and the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN).
Other participants included the Lekki Free Zone, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
Lagos State has positioned the Lekki corridor as a future economic powerhouse, home to Nigeria’s largest deep-sea port, the Dangote Refinery, and a growing number of industrial operations. But without a robust traffic management strategy, officials warn, the corridor risks becoming a logistical nightmare.
What you need to know
The e-call-up system, a digital platform designed to schedule and regulate the movement of heavy-duty vehicles, was first introduced in July 2024.
The initial implementation was slated for August 1 of that year, but was postponed days before the rollout to address logistics concerns and ensure a smoother deployment. A new launch date of September 23 was later proposed, only to be delayed again as stakeholders called for broader engagement.
On March, 4, 2025 Lagos officials temporarily suspended the system’s rollout after a closed-door meeting with union leaders from the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), and the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD).
Union representatives requested more time to educate their members and enforce internal compliance with the new system.
