A potential fuel scarcity looms over Lagos and surrounding areas as petroleum marketers and truck owners withdrew their services from the Lekki-Epe corridor in protest against the Lagos State Government’s controversial N12,500 e-call-up levy on trucks. The strike, which began Monday, has sparked concerns over the possible disruption of fuel distribution, particularly affecting areas relying on the strategic Lekki axis, which hosts vital infrastructure including the Dangote Refinery.
Protesters from the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) staged a peaceful demonstration, withdrawing fuel and haulage trucks from the region. They have described the newly introduced levy as “exploitative, ill-timed, and burdensome,” claiming the policy has been implemented without adequate consultation or infrastructure to support it.
The controversial levy is part of a public-private partnership initiative, designed to address traffic congestion along the corridor. However, the truckers argue that the levy fails to address the real issue of traffic, which government officials cited as the justification for the policy.
Dele Tajudeen, the former chairman of IPMAN South-West, criticised the policy, emphasizing the lack of congestion along the corridor and questioning the rationale behind such a levy. “There is no gridlock along the corridor. Why this levy?” Tajudeen remarked, pointing out that the funds raised from the levy are not being directed to the state government but to private partners instead.
With the new levy being added to the existing toll gate charges, truck operators now face an additional N19,500 in expenses before even loading fuel. This has raised alarms about the economic burden placed on the fuel distribution chain, which may eventually lead to price hikes that consumers will bear.
Gbenga Olubasusi, Chairman of NARTO at the Lekki Free Trade Zone, lamented the high operational costs already faced by truckers, noting that the price of truck tires has surged to over N700,000, while the cost of purchasing trucks has escalated from N4.5 million to over N40 million. “This new levy will drive up fuel prices and everything else,” Olubasusi stated.
The absence of basic facilities for truckers in the Lekki area also drew criticism. “There is no government trailer park here,” said Olubasusi. “We use private parks and pay between N3,000 and N5,000 daily. Now they want to charge us an additional N12,500 with nothing to show in return?”
While the protest has been framed as a strategic withdrawal rather than a strike, NARTO and IPMAN leaders have warned of severe consequences if the government continues to impose the levy without consultation. Comrade Wale Oladeinde, Zonal Secretary of NARTO Southwest, emphasized that the protest is a reflection of unfair conditions rather than industrial action. “The trucks are privately owned, and no one can force us to operate under such policies,” Oladeinde explained.
Kayode Odunowo, the Lagos State NARTO Chairman, expressed deep concern over the financial implications of the levy, recalling past failures of similar agreements in the Apapa area. “We cooperated in Apapa with similar promises from the government, but they failed to deliver. This time, we won’t play along,” Odunowo warned, stressing the economic ripple effect that could arise from halting truck movements.
The truck owners and marketers argue that their concerns have been ignored by the state government, which has yet to officially respond to the ongoing protests. However, both NARTO and IPMAN representatives maintain that they are open to further dialogue, urging the Lagos government to suspend the levy and initiate consultations with relevant stakeholders.
“We are not against regulation,” said Oladeinde, “But it has to be fair and transparent. You don’t tax a sector without providing the enabling environment.”
As of the latest reports, tanker activities along the Lekki-Epe corridor remain halted, and tensions continue to mount as the state government has yet to address the matter publicly.
