Trucks Transit Parks Limited (TTP) has called for urgent digitisation of trade and truck transportation systems across the ECOWAS corridor, following insights from a comprehensive 6,000 km road assessment. The study highlights the need for improvements in truck parking infrastructure, rest stops, and digital traffic management systems to strengthen regional commerce and promote economic integration.

TTP’s Co-Founder and Managing Director, Jama Onwubuariri, led a four-week tour covering Lagos (Nigeria), Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Liberia. The assessment focused on transport infrastructure, border post operations, rest areas, and the use of technology to improve efficiency along the Lagos–Abidjan–Ouagadougou corridor, one of West Africa’s busiest trade routes.

The report identified key challenges, including:

• Inadequate truck parking facilities, forcing drivers to use informal and unsafe roadside stops.
• Inconsistent border operations, with many relying on manual documentation despite ECOWAS’ push for modernisation.
• Absence of electronic call-up systems at major seaports such as Lomé, Tema, and Abidjan, causing congestion and costly delays.
• Limited technology deployment, resulting in a lack of real-time data for transport planning.

Onwubuariri stressed that regional trade can only thrive when goods, drivers, and cargo move seamlessly. “Inefficiencies at borders and ports increase business costs and reduce the competitiveness of West African economies,” he said.

As a solution, TTP has developed Ètò, a digital traffic management platform designed for scheduling, parking management, cross-border payments, and real-time monitoring. The platform also generates valuable data to guide government planning, infrastructure investment, and compliance monitoring.

TTP is engaging ECOWAS institutions, customs authorities, transport ministries, and Chambers of Commerce to pilot the system, aiming to reduce clearance delays, informal payments, and improve driver safety. The initiative aligns with the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), enhancing trade flows, business opportunities, and employment across West Africa.

Onwubuariri concluded: “ECOWAS has made commendable progress in promoting regional integration, but without technology, inefficiencies will persist. It is time to embrace digital solutions and set West Africa on a path toward seamless trade and competitiveness.”