Mile 2-Apapa highway gridlock: Officials helpless as terminals blamed

A severe and persistent traffic gridlock on the Mile 2-Apapa highway in Lagos has residents, motorists, and business owners pointing fingers at the proliferation of container terminals in the area. The congestion has become so dire that thousands of commuters were left stranded for hours, with many abandoning their journeys altogether.

Auto dealer Ekene Iruanya described the container terminals as the primary cause of the perennial congestion, stating the situation worsened significantly after the facilities began operations. He noted that trucks transporting empty containers to these terminals frequently occupy the road, creating severe bottlenecks. Despite the presence of traffic management officials from agencies like LASTMA and FRSC, their efforts have yielded little improvement due to the sheer volume of trucks.

Iruanya urged the government to reconsider the location of these terminals, suggesting that relocating or shutting them down would drastically ease congestion on the road leading to Kirikiri, the Nigerian Correctional Service facilities, and the Naval Barracks.

“

There is nothing else causing this traffic other than the terminals opposite the Catholic Church. Before they came here, this road was free. Today, you have three different terminals receiving containers and all the trucks are heading there.

However, a representative from one of the container terminal operators denied that their facility alone is responsible. The official explained that while their terminal receives only empty containers, it has become busier because other similar facilities are not operating at full capacity. "For now, we are the only ones receiving these empty containers while other terminals are not functioning fully. That is why the place is congested. We don’t even have enough space inside the terminal because everywhere is filled with empty containers," the official stated.

The operator also cited port restrictions, explaining that port authorities only accept specific volumes of containers at a time, necessitating bonded terminals as holding areas. Their terminal receives between 150 and 200 empty containers daily but can only accept new deliveries after clearing existing ones, contributing to the backlog and road blockage.

“

For now, we are the only ones receiving these empty containers while other terminals are not functioning fully. That is why the place is congested. We don’t even have enough space inside the terminal because everywhere is filled with empty containers.