Tension is building in the downstream petroleum sector following a directive from the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), asking its members to suspend the programming of tankers for loading petroleum products at the Dangote Refinery.
The order, issued through an internal memo signed by NARTO President, Alhaji Yusuf Lawal Othman, is in protest against the Lagos State Government’s enforcement of an Electronic Call-Up (E-call-up) system along the Lekki-Epe corridor. The system, run in collaboration with Call-Up Technologies Limited, requires truck operators to pay a fee of N12,500 before accessing the corridor.
NARTO, however, has described the charge as unfair and unsustainable. According to the association, it had proposed a lower fee of N2,500 per truck, citing the current economic realities and the impact of rising operational costs on transporters.
The Memo dated 14th of June 2025 stated in part: “Despite several efforts and engagements, we have not reached any agreement on our proposed fee of N2,500 per truck, which we believe is fair and reflects the tough economic conditions transporters are currently facing,” the memo stated.
In response, the association directed all its members to put a stop to programming tankers for loading at the Dangote Refinery starting Monday, June 16.
“In light of this unresolved issue, effective from June 16, 2025, all transporters are strongly advised to instruct their depot representatives to suspend the programming of trucks for movement along the Lekki-Epe Corridor until a mutually agreeable resolution is achieved,” the directive read.
The article was originally published on Politics Nigeria.
