By Oluyinka Onigbinde
Investigations by Shipping Position Daily have revealed that, despite the elaborate commissioning of electric ferries recently by the Lagos state government, the water crafts are not expected in the state until 2027.
Lagosians who daily use the waterways have equally expressed dismay over the €410 million ‘Omi Eko’ Project by the state government. They expressed dismay that the vessels meant to drive the initiative are not expected to arrive until 2027.
Recall that the Omi Eko project, valued at €410 million, was launched recently by the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in partnership with the European Union (EU), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD). The project is expected to revolutionize water transport in Lagos by providing over 75 modern electric-powered ferries, rehabilitating 25 jetties, dredging ferry channels, and installing charging stations across key waterfronts in the state.
Speaking on this, the state commissioner for transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi had affirmed that: “It starts in the month of October. It speaks to putting a lot of events and getting reassurance in our waterways. We are going to be improving and doing 25 new jetties that are all electric. We are also going to be bringing over 72 electric vessels that will be plying our waterways. Those vessels are very safe, they are very comfortable, and they will reassure people and put a lot more people on our waterways. By doing so, you know, evidently, that will decongest the road, which is our ultimate goal, and then it would also enable us to use our waterways more.”
The state government had hyped the event as a ceremony that would unveil the electric ferries and deploy them thereafter. But boat operators expressed shock last week that, the ceremony which held at the head office of Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) in Lagos, only showcased beautiful pictures and videos of what the ferries would look like.
Speaking shortly after the commissioning, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Gautier Mignot, said the project aligns with the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy, aimed at promoting sustainable mobility across Africa. According to him, “Scaling existing small-scale public transport networks to create more efficient and sustainable large-scale systems will improve accessibility and mobility with concrete impacts on the daily lives of millions of Lagosians.”
Mignot added that the project is designed to be environmentally friendly, reducing carbon emissions by 41,000 tonnes annually while saving about 25 million passengers an average of three hours in travel time at peak periods.
Boat operators and commuters who spoke with Shipping Position Daily at the Marina and Apapa jetties last week expressed shock that the state government went ahead to commission a project whose core components—the electric-powered ferries—are still years away from delivery.
A boat rider at the Apapa jetty, who identified himself simply as Seyi, said he was surprised that such a high-profile project could be launched without the actual boats being on ground. According to him, “We heard that the government has commissioned new boats, but we haven’t seen anything on the water. People are still boarding the same old ferries. If the vessels are coming in 2027 like you said, then what exactly was commissioned?”
Another boat operator at the Marina terminal told our correspondent that many of them were unaware of the project’s details. “Nobody told us anything. We just saw news about commissioning and politicians talking, but nothing practical has changed here. The boats we have are still the same,” he lamented.
However, in what appeared to be a reality check, the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jean-Noel Barrot, disclosed that the first set of vessels under the project is not expected to arrive until 2027. Barrot, who commended Lagos State for its partnership, said, “the vessels are ready, but we are waiting for Lagos State Government to come with its counterpart funding of €40 million. The project is one of the benefits of the collaboration between Nigeria and France.”
Meanwhile, key stakeholders in the Lagos waterways transport sector have reacted to the development, with some expressing reservations about the process leading up to the commissioning.
In his reaction, the National President of the Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON), Mr. Ganiyu Tarzan Balogun, said his association was not invited to the event. “It’s a good initiative, but we were absent from the commissioning because we were not invited. If our Lagos chapter or the national body was invited, we would have attended. The advert clearly stated that attendance was strictly by invitation,” he told Shipping Position Daily.
Balogun noted that while the project is laudable, there must be concrete engagement with private operators to ensure sustainability. “Buying boats is one thing, maintaining them is another. We hope the government will involve existing operators before bringing in the electric vessels. There should also be proper infrastructure like charging points to avoid situations where boats get stranded on the water,” he added.
On his part, the President of the Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association of Nigeria (WABOTAN), Mr. Tope Fajemirokun, who was present at the event, said the project remains a welcome development and expressed optimism that the Lagos State Government would deliver on its promises. “It’s not too far to wait till 2027. A project like this takes time, planning, and technical preparation. If done well, it will transform water transport in Lagos. We in the private sector are also working to support the initiative,” he said.
While the Omi Eko Project has been hailed by international partners as a landmark step toward cleaner, safer, and more efficient transport in Lagos, many residents remain skeptical, insisting that the government should have focused on completing physical deliverables before staging a public commissioning.
