Middle East Crisis Causes Traffic Gridlock in Apapa, Says NCS

By Efe Onodjae

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has linked the recent spike in traffic congestion and operational delays along the Apapa port corridor to disruptions in the global supply chain caused by the ongoing Middle East crisis.

This stance comes as stakeholders grow increasingly concerned about the return of gridlock on the Mile 2-Apapa Expressway, where long truck queues, delayed cargo evacuation and port congestion have resulted in financial losses for motorists and businesses.

While maritime operators, truckers and freight forwarders have blamed shipping lines, terminal congestion and delays in the evacuation of empty containers for the traffic build‑up, the NSC argues that the situation must also be viewed within the broader context of global shipping and logistics disruptions triggered by tensions in the Middle East.

Responding to Vanguard via WhatsApp messages, Adaora Nwonu, Deputy Director of Regulatory Services at the NSC, acknowledged the concerns raised by stakeholders and noted that the delays have significant implications for trade and supply chain efficiency.

Her comments were: “The concerns as expressed above are appreciable considering the spiral effect of these delays. These congestions arose and have been a feature since the Middle East crisis.”

“The Nigerian Shippers’ Council is engaging with service providers on this development, which to a large extent has been caused by the Middle East crisis. There is a backlog in the outbound clearance of cargo, as a result of this, which is being managed so far to ensure there are minimal disruptions to the chain.”

“We expect that as mediation and resolution talks progress, transit times will be cut significantly and immediately alleviate the global supply chain.”

The post Apapa Gridlock: Middle East crisis responsible for traffic congestion — NCS appeared first on Vanguard News.