Lagos, Nigeria – Key transport unions at Nigeria’s ports have issued a three-day ultimatum to the Lagos State government, threatening to withdraw their services over alleged harassment, extortion, and abuse of power by state taskforces.
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), and the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), operating under the umbrella of the Nigerian Maritime Alliance (NMA), are demanding the immediate disbandment of two state committees accused of crippling port operations.
The unions allege that the Lagos State Committee on Removal of Abandoned Vehicles and the Special Traffic Management Committee in Apapa have been unlawfully impounding trucks, extorting truckers, and imposing exorbitant fines ranging from ₦200,000 to ₦400,000—often paid into private accounts instead of official government channels.
A strongly worded communiqué issued after an emergency meeting at the MWUN secretariat detailed a violent incident on February 20, 2025, where committee members, allegedly accompanied by street thugs, attacked truckers along Apapa Port Road, leaving one victim hospitalised. The unions also claimed that over 100 trucks were unlawfully seized at Unity Bonded Terminal on February 23, under false claims of being abandoned.
“These committees have deviated from their mandate of easing traffic congestion and are now engaging in activities that sabotage port operations, disrupt the ease of doing business, and inflict huge financial losses on truckers, importers, and exporters,” the communiqué read.
The unions argue that the committees’ actions are disproportionately affecting maritime truckers on the Apapa Port access roads and Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, creating severe bottlenecks that have forced many factories to suspend operations due to delays in receiving imported materials.
“It is almost as if there is a deliberate effort to ground the haulage sector to a halt, despite its significant contributions to Nigeria’s GDP and Lagos State’s economy,” they stated.
The three-day ultimatum expires on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. If the Lagos State government fails to meet their demands, the unions have vowed to shut down port operations indefinitely.
“We are saying ENOUGH IS ENOUGH to the ignoble and exploitative activities of these committees. If our demands are not met, we will have no choice but to take drastic action to protect the interests of our members and the broader maritime transport sector,” the unions declared.
The looming strike could paralyze Lagos ports, disrupt supply chains, and deal a major blow to Nigeria’s economy.