IPMAN Transporters to Boycott Lekki-Epe Corridor Over N12,500. E-Call-up Levy
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), South-West Zone, has instructed its transporters to cease operations along the Lekki-Epe corridor commencing Monday, June 16, 2025, as a form of protest against a N12,500 E-Call-up levy imposed by the Lagos State Government.
The directive, issued by the Zonal Chairman, Chief Oyewole Akanni, emphasized that the association would not subject its members to potential harassment as the state proceeds with the implementation of the traffic management system.
This development was reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.
The anticipated boycott is expected to significantly disrupt the loading and distribution of petroleum products along this crucial corridor.
Akanni remarked that IPMAN’s national leadership had previously advised marketers to suspend truck movements to depots in the region, citing unresolved issues with the Lagos Ministry of Transportation.
He further noted that multiple rounds of stakeholder engagement had failed to produce any substantive modifications to the policy.
“The Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), South-West Zone, has instructed its members to boycott the Lekki-Epe corridor from Monday to avoid any embarrassment,” stated the chairman of the zone, Chief Oyewole Akanni, in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Sunday.
“According to the chairman, the national office had earlier instructed its members not to dispatch trucks to load petroleum products on the Lekki-Epe corridor from Monday,” the NAN report read in part.
He accused the Lagos government of persisting in implementing the system “on its own terms,” despite objections from industry stakeholders, including IPMAN and the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO).
“In light of the aforementioned and other pertinent concerns, the association advises all independent marketers to withdraw their depot representatives and truck drivers from the Lekki-Epe corridor from Monday, June 16, 2025, until further notice,” Akanni stated.
The E-Call-up policy was conceived to regulate truck movement and alleviate traffic congestion around depots and industrial areas. However, the petroleum marketers association contends that the policy is poorly conceived, non-inclusive, and imposes an arbitrary financial burden on operators.
What You Should Know
The Lekki-Epe corridor hosts critical infrastructure such as the Lekki Deep Sea Port, Dangote Refinery, and several industrial estates—factors that have significantly increased truck traffic and exacerbated congestion in the area.
While enforcement on this axis is just commencing, the E-Call-up system itself is not novel. It was initially introduced by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in 2021 to manage truck movement around the Apapa and Tin Can port corridors. The Lagos State Government extended the system to the Lekki corridor in September 2024 but suspended enforcement in March 2025 following consultations with industry stakeholders. A revised rollout date has now been set for Monday, June 16, 2025.
Under the new system, operators are required to upload their Authority to Load (ATL) documents and reserve parking slots before their trucks can access the corridor. This is part of a broader effort to streamline truck traffic and mitigate gridlock. To support the rollout, the Lagos State Government approved the development of seven dedicated truck parks along the corridor, each equipped with restrooms, kitchens, and electricity to enhance driver welfare.
