Project to deliver 70 hybrid ferries, 140km of routes, and 25 modern terminals by 2030
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has officially launched the €410 million Omi-Eko Inland Waterways Transportation Project, a European Union (EU)-funded initiative designed to transform water transport in Africa’s most populous city.
The project, developed in partnership with the EU, the French Development Agency (AFD), and the European Investment Bank (EIB), aims to create a sustainable, integrated water transport system that reduces congestion on Lagos roads and cuts carbon emissions by 41,000 tonnes annually.
Speaking at the launch ceremony on Friday, Sanwo-Olu described the initiative as a “bold statement of intent” and a landmark stride toward a cleaner, faster, and more efficient mobility network in Lagos.
“The Omi-Eko project is not just an unveiling ceremony—it’s a covenant with our people, our planet, and future generations. With this investment, we are transforming our waterways from barriers of separation into corridors of opportunity,” the governor said.
Under the €410 million investment, €360 million will come as a subsidised loan through the EU’s Global Gateway Initiative. The project’s first phase, to be implemented by the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), will cover the dredging and channelisation of 140 kilometres of ferry routes and the development of 15 priority corridors.
It will also feature 25 modern ferry terminals with electric charging stations, 70 hybrid-electric ferries, and maintenance depots, complemented by connecting road infrastructure.
Sanwo-Olu noted that the project aligns with his administration’s THEMES+ Agenda and global climate goals, adding that it will improve air quality, cut travel time by up to three hours per trip, and serve an estimated 25,000 passengers yearly.
Former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, who established LASWA in 2008, lauded Sanwo-Olu for nurturing the agency into a viable institution and commended EU partners for their commitment to sustainability.
Commissioner for Transportation, Seun Osiyemi, said the project would unlock the full potential of the State’s inland waterways and complete its multimodal transport network, while LASWA General Manager and Special Adviser on Blue Economy, Damilola Emmanuel, affirmed that Lagos was ready to “build a water-based economy that works for all.”
French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noel Barrot, and EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, both described Omi-Eko as a model of successful partnership and a milestone for sustainable development in West Africa.
“This project showcases what true cooperation can achieve—it’s a milestone in Europe-Africa collaboration and a major step toward sustainable urban mobility,” Mignot said.
With completion targeted for 2030, the Omi-Eko project is poised to redefine transport in Lagos, positioning the city as a global leader in climate-resilient, water-based urban mobility.