Exclusive interview with TTP MD on digitising Nigeria’s truck traffic | BusinessDay exclusive

For decades, Apapa and Tin Can Island were synonymous with gridlock. Endless queues of trucks, delayed cargo, and economic inefficiencies became the norm around Nigeria’s busiest ports. Today, however, the narrative is shifting.

In this exclusive interview, the Cofounder and Managing Director of TTP (formerly Trucks Transit Parks), Mr. Jama, speaks on how technology, collaboration, and infrastructure reform are reshaping Nigeria’s maritime logistics ecosystem.

BusinessDay: TTP began as Trucks Transit Parks. What problem were you trying to solve?

Jama: About 15 years ago, the Federal Government concessioned port terminals to private operators. However, the ports themselves have not been significantly expanded since they were built in the 1930s. As imports and population increased, traffic far exceeded port capacity.

Between 2017 and 2019, Apapa and Tin Can experienced severe congestion. We believed technology could solve this endemic truck traffic problem.

So we built a traffic management and scheduling application that allows all maritime stakeholders terminal operators, transporters, shipping agents to plan their truck movements through one integrated platform.

Previously, we had about 7,500 trucks daily struggling to access the ports. Today, traffic is redirected into satellite truck parks, from where trucks are scheduled into terminals in an orderly manner.

BusinessDay: Apapa congestion was long considered inevitable. What changed?

Jama: The biggest shift was moving from manual operations to digital systems. Every stakeholder was assigned clear roles, and compliance became measurable.

Second, we invested in hard infrastructure designated truck parks where vehicles wait until scheduled entry. When you combine technology, collaboration, and infrastructure, congestion becomes manageable.

BusinessDay: Some people still see TTP as just a callup app. How would you describe it?

Jama: It is an economic driver.

Nigeria’s economy depends heavily on port activities. We integrated our system with the Nigerian Export Proceeds (NXP) platform managed by Customs and the Central Bank. Export inspections and payments that previously delayed trucks inside ports are now processed outside the port corridor at export processing terminals.

This has reduced internal congestion and accelerated cargo movement. TTP is not just managing traffic it is coordinating economic activity digitally.

BusinessDay: TTP operates at the intersection of public and private sectors. Why was that partnership necessary?

Jama: Private adoption alone was insufficient. Operators asked: “If we comply, what about those who don’t?”

We needed government enforcement to ensure universal compliance. With regulatory backing, innovation could be implemented across board not in silos.

Private innovation plus government enforcement was the formula for success.

BusinessDay: What were your biggest hurdles?

Jama: First, apathy. Many believed the system would fail.

Second, resistance from stakeholders benefiting from chaos.

Third, digital literacy gaps. Some drivers lacked the skills to use the platform and had to rely on middlemen.

We also face ongoing challenges: tankers heading to tank farms are not fully under our system, which can still create congestion.

BusinessDay: What does the next five years look like?

Jama: We’re introducing RFID electronic tags for trucks. These tags interact with readers at port gates, allowing automated entry without human interference. This will reduce processing time by over 60%.

We’re also digitising minimum safety standards so each truck’s safety certification is uniquely verifiable.

In 2026, we plan to integrate with Nigeria’s National Single Window platform a unified system for all maritime processes. This will further speed up cargo clearance and improve Nigeria’s ease of doing business ranking.

Currently, Nigeria loses cargo to ports in Benin and Togo due to perceived inefficiencies. These reforms aim to reverse that trend.

BusinessDay: How does TTP align with AfCFTA goals?

Jama: We are engaging neighbouring governments to replicate our port model regionally.

We’re also proposing Service Level Agreements (SLAs) at borders defining how long inspection and clearance should take.

Additionally, we are proposing 40 truck rest stops along the Lagos–Abidjan corridor. Drivers currently travel across multiple countries with little support infrastructure. These hubs would provide accommodation, document processing, currency exchange, and transit services improving trade speed and driver welfare.

BusinessDay: What lessons would you share with founders building infrastructuredriven companies?

Jama:
1. Begin with the end in mind.
2. Make decisions based on data.
3. Design solutions around user pain points.
4. Collaborate you cannot build infrastructure alone.
5. Watch policy headwinds understand where government priorities are shifting.
6. Put the right people in the right roles, and be willing to make tough decisions.

BusinessDay: How do you want TTP to be remembered?

Jama: As the team that said enough was enough to manual truck traffic management.
Nigeria’s export volume has increased by 776% since we launched five years ago, partly due to improved cargo processing speed. We want to be remembered as the platform that digitised port traffic management and became an economic hub for Nigeria’s maritime industry.