NPA Under Fire As Lagos Govt Accuses Authority Of Frustrating Apapa Operations, Rejects Cargo Move To Warri

The Lagos State Government has sharply criticised the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for diverting operational attention from Lagos ports to the Warri Port Complex, insisting that the authority’s policy missteps not Lagos facilities are responsible for ongoing difficulties within Apapa’s maritime corridor.

Adekoya Hassan, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Transportation and Logistics, stated that the administration has demonstrated unwavering commitment to solving port congestion challenges.

He argued that the NPA’s approach continues to undermine progress, despite several interventions by the state government.

According to Hassan, Governor Sanwo-Olu has invested heavily in infrastructure, traffic management and multi-agency coordination aimed at restoring ease of cargo movement around Apapa and Tin Can Island. However, the country’s port regulator has allegedly failed to align its policies with these efforts, resulting in persistent bottlenecks across the port access roads.

He stressed that shifting focus to the Warri Port Complex is a diversionary strategy that ignores the root causes of inefficiency. “The Lagos ports are not the problem. It is the NPA’s policies that continue to frustrate seamless operations,” Hassan said.

The remarks come amid mounting concerns from freight operators, clearing agents and investors who fear that the NPA’s decision could weaken Lagos’ strategic economic advantage as the nation’s primary commercial gateway.

In a fierce showdown, Lagos State has accused the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) of dodging responsibility by shifting the port focus to Warri, calling it a reckless “band-aid” that ignores the real corruption and inefficiency choking Apapa’s ports.

Senior aide Adekoya Hassan who tore into the NPA’s flawed policies, exposing deep-rooted racketeering, bribery, and a broken system — the true culprits behind the never-ending gridlock.

While the NPA boasts improved stats for Warri and Koko ports, Lagos officials warn this move is a distraction from urgent reforms needed at home. They demand an end to toll extortion, a fix to the broken e-call-up system, and a purge of favoritism before the Apapa mess spirals further out of control.

The crisis deepens as truck restrictions and checkpoint madness escalate, with Lagos calling for transparency and cooperation to save its bustling ports — or face a future where Warri can’t pick up the slack.