TTP plans to replicate Eto Call-up System across West Africa

…Eto saves Nigerian ports $1.7m yearly

Truck Transit Park Limited (TTP) will expand the successful Eto call-up system, currently at Apapa port, across West Africa to promote faster truck and cargo turnaround times.

Speaking at a recent press briefing in Lagos, Jamal Onwubuariri disclosed that his organisation is working on a regional plan for countries within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as regards the creation of rest stops for truckers along the Lagos-Abidjan Corridor.

From Lagos to Ouagadougou, Abidjan, Monrovia, and other West African routes, the story is similar: heavy reliance on trucking, coupled with bottlenecks at borders, tolls, and highway corridors, Onwubuariri said.

He emphasised that the Eto call-up system is not just a national solution, but a model that would be scaled regionally across West Africa.

“Imagine if every ECOWAS country operated a harmonised port truck scheduling, rest stop, and electronic tolling system that supports the multiple currencies used in the region,

How much faster goods would move, how much cheaper trade would become, and how much closer we would be to realising the promise of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),” he explained.

He said, “TTP stands ready to play in that space, to collaborate with ECOWAS and support regional governments in deploying technology that will make seamless intra-African trade not just a vision, but a reality.”

Proven result

In 2021, TTP, in partnership with the Nigerian Port Authority had introduced the Eto electronic call-up system to ease traffic congestion, which was affecting the country’s ease of doing business at the port.

Since its launch, the Eto call-up system has reduced traffic congestion at Apapa port and saved the nation $1.7 million annually. He explained that the traffic congestion in Apapa had previously caused a staggering N2.5 trillion annual loss to the nation.

Onwubuariri said that Apapa was used as a test case for the electronic call-up system, noting that the technology is now set to be deployed across other states with traffic challenges and across ports in West Africa.

“Our technology can be deployed in a number of different scenarios and different situations,” he said, adding that TTP is currently in talks with 24 state governments that have traffic management issues in the country.

He said over 3 million truck trips have been successfully scheduled through Eto since its inception. “Drastic reduction in gridlock, and improved truck and cargo turnaround time. Enhance compliance with Minimum Safety Standards for trucks and introduced a smarter payment platform to improve ease of payment for booking.”