Export truckers allege N50,000 charges per container at Tin Can port

By Efe Onodjae Truck owners operating around the Tin Can Island Port corridor, Lagos, have raised the alarm over alleged multiple charges imposed on export-laden containers, claiming that the payments amount to about N50,000 per container and undermine efforts to promote non-oil exports. The Chairman of the Association of Container Truck Owners of Nigeria, ACTOAN, Ridwan Bello, who raised the concern, accused the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, and other agencies operating around the port corridor of creating additional hurdles for truckers despite the introduction of the electronic call-up system.

Bello, in an interview with Vanguard, alleged that the manifest requirement had become an additional burden on truckers, questioning why it was being prioritised over the electronic call-up system designed to improve traffic management and eliminate human interference in port access. He said the situation had made it increasingly difficult and costly for truckers transporting export containers to gain access to the port.

According to him, truckers are also subjected to multiple payments at different stages of the export process, including an alleged N15,000 payment to facilitate the dropping of each container and additional charges at terminal facilities. He further alleged that terminal operators sometimes demand as much as ₦10,000 to offload export containers. Bello claimed that the cumulative charges could reach ₦50,000 per container, taking a significant portion of truckers’ earnings and threatening the sustainability of their businesses.

He questioned how haulage operators could remain profitable under the circumstances, particularly when the Federal Government was pursuing policies aimed at expanding non-oil exports and diversifying the economy. Nigeria’s non-oil exports reportedly reached $6.1 billion in 2025, up from $5.46 billion in 2024, highlighting the importance of efficient port operations to the country’s export drive.

The ACTOAN chairman called on the NPA authorities to explain the rationale behind the manifest requirement and clarify whether the electronic call-up system remained effective. He also faulted trucking associations for what he described as their silence over the alleged practices, urging stakeholders to address the challenges confronting operators along the port corridor.

Bello called on the relevant authorities to review the charges and operational procedures, warning that the alleged practices could discourage investment in the haulage sector and undermine the country’s export ambitions.