Photo Credit: Vanguard
2025-12-22 08:00:00
According to Vanguard, Lagos port stakeholders have criticised the reintroduced electronic call-up system (Eto), describing the experience as ‘e-extortion’ and calling for reforms to how access is managed.
Industry groups argue that instead of easing congestion, the system’s enforcement and gatekeeping can add cost layers that ultimately show up in haulage charges and consumer prices.
The dispute underscores Nigeria’s logistics bottleneck: the ports struggle to stay competitive when truck access, queue discipline, and pricing transparency remain contested.
The Sun quoted the NPA’s view that “Today, the E-Call Up System has evolved into a transformative digital logistics tool,” while an industry report claimed the system “cuts haulage costs by 65%” in some settings—showing how sharply user and operator narratives diverge.
Echotitbits take: Digitisation can work, but only if incentives align and corruption channels are blocked. Watch for independent audits of Eto billing/penalties, transparent service targets, and whether regulators compel enforceable reforms instead of ad-hoc fixes.
Source: Vanguard — December 22, 2025 (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/12/lagos-ports-stakeholders-decry-mandatory-e-call-up-system/)
Vanguard 2025-12-22