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LAGOS – The Managing Director of Trucks Transit Parks, Jama Onwubariri, has stated that the company makes$1.7 million annual savings for Maritime Industry with Étó electronic call-systemasatagainstitslostN2.5trillion annually due to inefficiencies before the introduction of the tech system in 2021.
Themanagingdirectorwhowasspeaking to Newsmen at the Lilypond Container Terminal in Lagos, said, the maritime and logistics industry is the backbone of commerce in Nigeria, given that 90% of the items we need daily rely on imports delivered through its ports.
He said: “Every single day, about 2,000 trucks move through Lagos ports and industrial corridors to pick up and drop off consumer and export cargo. But for over a decade leading up to 2021.
“this critical artery of trade has been clogged by problems of; Perennial congestion on the access roads, Inefficient cargo evacuation, Safety lapses, bad roads and substandard trucks, Racketeering and middlemen distorting pricing and processes, Human interference in what should be seamless, technology-driven operations”.
He said these inefficiencies come at a heavy price.
“They increase turnaround time for trucks and cargo, inflate logistic costs, and ultimately hike the prices consumers pay for essential goods.”
“It was against this backdrop that Trucks Transit Parks (TTP) introduced the Ètò electronic call-up system in 2021. Our vision was simple: to transparently combine innovative technology, infrastructure and stakeholder collaboration tosolveaproblemthathadbecomealmost “normalised.”
He stated that the company through Étóhaschangedthenarrative,”Portroads, once infamous for unending gridlock, are now more orderly and predictable. Access to the ports is no longer based on who you know or how rugged your boys are, but on apre-set, transparent, technology-enabled process.”
“Over 3 million truck trips successfully scheduled through Ètò since inception, “Drastic reduction in gridlock and improved truck and cargo turnaround time, Enhanced compliance with Minimum Safety Standards for trucks, Introduction of smarter payment platforms to improve the ease of payments for bookings, Ongoing partnerships with the Nigerian Ports Authority, terminal operators, security agencies, unions, and associations to sustain progress, Continuous upgrades to the Ètò platform—closing loopholes, tightening controls, and enhancing user experience.”
He said, this is not just about technology, it is about restoring confidence in the possibility that its ports can be efficient and compete favourably with others in the region.
“When the then Governor-Elect, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, called in March 2019 to ask about how our company can solve the Apapa traffic situation, it was difficult to see into the future transformation that this initiative would go on to have on Nigeria’s port efficiency, maritime operations improvementandqualityof lifeforApapa and Tincan residential and commercial stakeholders. The decisiveness of the LagosStateGovernmentandthevisionof the Nigerian Ports Authority management have been invaluable,” he recalled.
