Poor Truck Coordination Triggers Fresh Gridlock On Ago Palace Way

LAGOS — Residents, workers and motorists along Ago Palace Way in Lagos are again facing severe traffic congestion as poor coordination of truck movements around the inland terminal corridor continues to cripple vehicular movement in the area.

The persistent gridlock, largely caused by the increasing presence of heavy-duty trucks servicing terminals outside the Apapa Port corridor, has turned what should be short journeys into exhausting trips lasting up to three hours.

Many commuters say the worsening traffic situation is affecting their productivity, businesses, health and family life.

On a typical weekday, vehicles stretch bumper-to-bumper from the Okota end of Ago Palace Way towards the terminal area as hundreds of trucks struggle for limited road space, leaving commuters stranded for hours.

Mrs. Funke Adeyemi, a banker residing in Okota and working on Lagos Island, said she now leaves home before dawn to avoid spending most of her day in traffic.

“I used to get to my office in less than an hour. These days, I spend between two and three hours on Ago Palace Way because of the trucks. By the time I arrive at work, I am already exhausted. The same situation awaits me after work,” she said.

Similarly, a businessman in Festac Town, Mr. Chinedu Okafor, described the traffic as a nightmare with significant economic consequences.

“Last week, I spent almost three hours covering a distance that should normally take 20 minutes. Customers become frustrated when deliveries are delayed. The economic impact is huge, but nobody seems to pay attention to what residents are going through,” he lamented.

Commercial transport operators have also expressed concerns over the impact of the congestion on their livelihoods.

Mr. Sulaimon Bello, a commercial bus driver on the Ago Palace–Festac route, said the gridlock has drastically reduced the number of trips he can make daily.

“Before now, I could make several trips and earn enough to support my family. Today, one trip can take over two hours because trucks occupy sections of the road. We burn more fuel and make less income,” he said.

Investigations revealed that the congestion is linked to the growing number of trucks servicing off-dock terminals located outside the Apapa Port corridor, with stakeholders blaming inadequate traffic management and poor coordination of truck movements.

The General Secretary of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Sani Mohammed, said efforts were previously made to introduce a coordinated truck call-up system for off-dock terminals, including those operating along Ago Palace Way.

According to him, the arrangement was expected to ensure that terminals communicated the exact number of trucks required for cargo evacuation at any given time, thereby preventing unnecessary build-up of trucks on access roads.

However, Mohammed said the initiative failed to gain traction.

“There was an idea that terminals outside Apapa Port, including the one at Ago Palace, should always indicate the number of trucks needed to evacuate cargo so that traffic could be effectively managed,” he said.

“Unfortunately, the idea did not succeed. There are vested interests benefiting from the traffic situation, making it difficult to achieve proper coordination.”

He further urged terminal operators to strengthen traffic management around their facilities by employing dedicated traffic control personnel and providing holding bays to prevent trucks from spilling onto public roads.

Residents have meanwhile called on relevant authorities to urgently address the situation and restore free flow of traffic along the busy corridor.