How Apapa Gridlock Cripples Cargo Movement from Lagos to Jos and Abuja — Northern Importers Count Losses By Romeon Okwo Abuja
The Apapa port gridlock that returned this week is not just a Lagos problem — its effects are being felt 1,200km away in Jos, Plateau State and Abuja, importers told Nigeria Anchorage. Findings by Nigeria Anchorage in Jos on September 22, 2026 show that cargoes that left Apapa Port 10 days ago are still stuck on the road, unable to reach northern markets. Jos Traders Lament Delay At Terminus Market, Jos, Musa Abdullahi, a spare parts importer, said his 40-foot container of automotive parts has spent 8 days on the road from Lagos to Jos, a journey that should take 24 hours. " My clearing agent said trucks are blocked at Ijora and Mile 2. They cannot even exit Apapa. I have customers waiting in Jos, Bauchi and Gombe, but my goods are trapped in Lagos gridlock," Abdullahi said Another importer, Mrs. Grace Pam, who imports building materials from China through Apapa, said she now pays N1.8 million to move a container from Apapa to Jos, up from N1.2 million three weeks ago. "...