The Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Isiaka Oyetola, CON, has shed light on the intense and often dangerous behind-the-scenes battles that culminated in the clearing of the infamous Apapa gridlock, a crisis that crippled Nigeria’s port operations and stifled economic activities for over two decades.
Speaking on Wednesday to members of Study Group 4, Senior Executive Course 47 of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), during a study tour of the Ministry, Oyetola described the journey to reclaiming order on the nation’s most vital maritime corridor as “gritty and risky.”
“The Apapa gridlock wasn’t natural, it was engineered. There were people who built careers and empires on the dysfunction of that corridor,” the Minister stated. “Breaking that cycle meant taking on forces who didn’t want change.”
Oyetola recounted how, upon assuming office in 2023, he discovered a deeply entrenched system of collusion, corruption, and strategic disorder designed to profit from the chaos around the ports.
He explained that tackling the gridlock required confronting powerful interests and dismantling criminal syndicates that had long exploited the situation.
Central to the turnaround, the Minister noted, was collaboration with key government players.
In December 2023, he wrote to the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, to request urgent repair of dilapidated port access roads.
The swift response and infrastructural improvements gave momentum to broader reforms.
Oyetola also acknowledged the Lagos State Government’s role in removing illegal structures along port roads, and the implementation of a digital truck scheduling system, which significantly eased congestion.
“For the first time in over 20 years, trucks no longer spent weeks waiting to pick up or deliver cargo. Haulage costs dropped by as much as 60 percent, and the ports are thriving once again,” he said.
Beyond logistics, Oyetola highlighted the socio-economic benefits of the reform, noting a cleaner environment for Apapa residents, the revival of small businesses, improved port worker efficiency, and a boost to national revenue.
He concluded with a call for sustained vigilance to preserve the gains made, describing the breakthrough as a milestone of his administration and a model of effective leadership and inter-agency cooperation.
Brigadier General Abdulrahaman Idris, who led the NIPSS delegation, commended the Minister’s courage and strategic leadership in resolving one of Nigeria’s most intractable infrastructure challenges
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