The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has announced plans to collaborate with the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) and Interferry, a global shipping association representing the ferry industry, to enhance safety on Lagos inland waterways.
Speaking during a facility tour of LASWA’s assets on Monday, the agency’s General Manager, Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, said the partnership would facilitate knowledge sharing and support the state’s efforts to strengthen its water transport system. The tour hosted delegates from MOWCA and Interferry and included a media interaction with the Transportation Correspondents Association of Nigeria (TCAN).
“Safety is crucial in every aspect of life, particularly in water transportation,” Emmanuel said. “When MOWCA approached Lagos State to host the Ferry Safety Conference, we gladly accepted. We’ve made progress in safety and are open to learning more from our international partners to enhance our practices.”
He highlighted several LASWA safety initiatives, including mandatory life jackets, bi-annual boat inspections, and the deployment of smart technology for real-time jetty monitoring and communication with boats.
“We also conduct regular training and workshops for captains and deckhands in collaboration with private partners,” he said. “Our control centre has been invaluable in gathering data to inform safety decisions.”
On the Omi-Eko project, Emmanuel said it would transform water transport in Lagos through the introduction of electric ferries, upgrading of terminals and jetties, dredging of inland waterways, and capacity building for LASWA staff.
While noting that electric ferries would complement rather than replace existing vessels, he said LASWA was encouraging informal operators to form cooperatives to make government support more accessible.
“We now record 54,000 daily passengers and expect that number to rise as we improve operations,” he added.
Interferry CEO Mr Mike Corrigan praised LASWA’s progress and expressed optimism about the collaboration.
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“We’re here not just to support but also to learn from Lagos,” Corrigan said. “Interferry has nearly 300 members globally, and now LASWA is one of them. We’ve brought a team of 12 safety experts to share best practices in navigation, vessel operations, and life-saving techniques.”
Corrigan emphasized Interferry’s commitment to contributing regularly to Africa’s waterways development, saying the organisation is keen to partner with any entity interested in improving maritime safety on the continent.
