TTP calls for digital transformation of ECOWAS trade corridor
Trucks Transit Parks Limited (TTP), Nigeria’s leading tech mobility company, is calling for urgent digitization of trade and truck transportation systems, including truck parking infrastructure, rest stops, and digital truck traffic management systems, to strengthen regional commerce and unlock the promise of regional economic integration.
TTP made the call after its findings from a comprehensive 6,000 km road trip across the West African trade corridor recently.
Over a four-week period, Jama Onwubuariri, TTP’s co-founder and managing director, embarked on a 6,000km tour that began in Lagos, Nigeria, and covered Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Liberia.
According to him, the assessment examined transport infrastructure, border post operations, truck rest stops, and the role of technology in improving efficiency along the Lagos–Abidjan–Ouagadougou corridor, one of West Africa’s busiest trade routes.
He said findings from the report reveal systemic challenges that continue to impede the free flow of goods and services across borders such as inadequate truck parking facilities and inconsistent border post operations across the corridor.
Others are absence of electronic all-up systems and limited technology deployment resulting in a lack of real-time visibility, coordination, and data for effective transport planning.
Onwubuariri stressed the urgency for ECOWAS member states to adopt digital tools as a pathway to remove bottlenecks and improve efficiency and competitiveness.
Read also: TTP plans to replicate Eto Call-up System across West Africa
“Regional trade can only thrive when goods, drivers, and cargo move seamlessly. Inefficiencies at borders and ports not only increase costs for businesses but also reduce the competitiveness of West African economies, he said.
“Our Ètò App provides a ready-to-deploy digital solution for scheduling, parking management, and cross-border payments that can transform the corridor into a hub of efficiency,” he added.
The Ètò solution is TTP’s flagship digital traffic management platform, designed to streamline truck traffic management through real-time scheduling, electronic call-up systems, digital booking of rest areas, and a multi-currency wallet for drivers.
Beyond improving operational efficiency, Ètò generates critical data to support government planning, infrastructure investment, and compliance monitoring.
TTP is actively engaging ECOWAS institutions, customs authorities, transport ministries, and Chambers of Commerce to establish pilot programs that will demonstrate the benefits of digitized border and port management.
If adopted regionally, TTP projects significant benefits, such as reducing clearance delays and informal payments at borders, improving driver safety and welfare through structured rest stops and greater transparency in cargo movement across the corridor.
Also, enhanced trade flows that align with the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and a more robust regional business ecosystem and increased employment opportunities.
“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 truly seamless trade and competitiveness.”
