By Sodiq Adelakun
The Lagos State Government has announced June 16, 2025, as the official enforcement date for its electronic call-up (e-call-up) system on the increasingly congested Lekki-Epe corridor.
The move is aimed at addressing the persistent traffic bottlenecks caused by the movement of heavy-duty vehicles serving the Lekki Free Zone and the Lekki Deep Sea Port.
The announcement was made on Sunday in a statement issued by Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, following a high-level stakeholders’ meeting chaired by Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat.
He said: “The e-call-up system is not about revenue collection. 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 Nigeria’s busiest port, has long been plagued by paralyzing traffic congestion largely due to unregulated truck operations.
With Lekki emerging as the country’s next commercial nerve center, state officials say they are determined not to replicate Apapa’s failures.
According to Osiyemi, earlier attempts to implement the system were suspended following significant rollout challenges. However, he noted that after months of consultations with key industry stakeholders, the government is now ready to move forward decisively.
“We are focused on restoring sanity to the corridor, 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,” said Osiyemi.
The e-call-up system, first introduced in July 2024, is a digital platform designed to schedule and regulate the movement of heavy-duty vehicles.
It functions by assigning access windows to trucks, thereby reducing long roadside queues, unauthorized parking, and extended wait times.
The initiative has faced several delays. Its initial rollout, originally set for August 1, 2024, was postponed to September 23 to address logistical concerns. That date was also shelved after transport unions called for broader engagement and internal education efforts.
On March 4, 2025, Lagos officials again suspended the system following a closed-door meeting with representatives of key unions, including the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO).
Union leaders requested additional time to sensitise members and ensure compliance.
The recent meeting that confirmed the new enforcement date brought together major stakeholders from Nigeria’s transport and energy sectors, including MEMAN, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Lekki Free Zone, and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The state government maintains that the Lekki-Epe corridor, home to strategic industrial infrastructure such as the Dangote Refinery and Nigeria’s largest deep-sea port, must be protected from the logistical chaos that crippled Apapa.
“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,” reiterated Osiyemi.
Officials have also issued a directive for the immediate removal of all vehicles currently obstructing the Lekki-Epe Expressway, signaling a zero-tolerance approach to non-compliance.
The Lagos State Government has positioned the e-call-up system not just as a traffic management tool but as a critical component of a broader strategy to sustain the region’s emerging economic potential.