Tanker Drivers Halt Operations In Lagos Over N12,500 E-Call-Up Fee
Fuel distribution and cargo transportation were brought to a halt on Monday as petroleum tanker drivers and other truck operators staged a protest against a new N12,500 fee imposed under the Lagos State Government’s Electronic Call-Up (E-Call-Up) system.
The protest, which erupted at the Lekki-Epe corridor, saw tanker drivers abandon their vehicles and refuse to load petroleum products from key sites including the Dangote Refinery and the Lekki Deep Seaport.
Cargo movement was also disrupted, leaving imported goods trapped at the port and importers forced to return home without their consignments.
The drivers, backed by the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), described the new fee as excessive and unsustainable.
While they acknowledged the need for a digital call-up system to manage traffic and logistics, they called on the state government to reduce the charge significantly.
“We have not declared a strike action. We have only suspended loading operations at both Lekki Port and the Dangote Refinery because the N12,500 being charged per truck by the Lagos State Government is on the high side.
“We support the electronic call-up system but the amount can be lowered. N12,500 per truck is too much.
“While the suspension of operation is on, we are currently meeting with the Lagos State Government officials to arrive at a reasonable amount,” said the National President of Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Yusuf Othman.
The suspension has raised concerns over potential fuel scarcity and supply chain bottlenecks in Lagos and beyond, depending on how long the deadlock persists.
In response, the Lagos State Government reiterated its commitment to the E-Call-Up system, which officially came into effect on Monday.
Speaking on TVC News recently, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr. Sola Giwa, explained that the digital scheduling system is aimed at reducing traffic gridlock, roadside parking, and disorderly loading and unloading by articulated vehicles.
According to Giwa, Lagosians lose up to four hours daily to traffic congestion, resulting in an estimated N4tn in annual economic losses.
He blamed much of this on unregulated truck operations, especially along the increasingly busy Lekki-Epe corridor.
He noted that seven truck parks equipped with basic amenities like restrooms, kitchens, and electricity have been designated to support the initiative.
He also emphasized that the policy follows over two years of stakeholder consultations and forms a key component of the state’s broader transportation reform agenda.
Tanker Drivers Halt Operations In Lagos Over N12,500 E-Call-Up Fee is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
