Omi Eko project will cut Lagosians travel time by three hours – EU chief

Omi Eko project will cut Lagosians travel time by three hours – EU chief

 

Lagos State Government has launched the Omi Eko project — a €410 million public water transport initiative expected to save residents up to three hours of travel time daily.

The project, unveiled at the weekend, is a major push to modernise urban mobility and tackle climate change.

It is being implemented by the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) with funding support from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the French Development Agency (AFD) under the European Union’s Global Gateway Initiative.

Ambassador Gautier Mignot, Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, described the initiative as a “game-changer” for sustainable urban development.

“The Omi Eko project is a clear demonstration of the commitment by both federal and state authorities to improve the quality of life in Lagos through sustainable development,” Mignot said.

Under the plan, 78 high-speed electric ferries capable of carrying between 50 and 200 passengers each will operate across 15 priority routes.

The project also includes the construction of modern terminals, floating jetties, and the dredging of about 140 kilometres of waterways.

To enhance passenger experience, a digital ticketing system and smart terminals will be deployed for faster, more efficient boarding.

Officials estimate that the system will serve up to 25 million passengers annually while cutting carbon emissions by about 41,000 tonnes each year.

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, said the project would help Lagos adapt to the realities of climate change, including rising sea levels.

“This project will improve the lives of Lagosians by reducing transport time and cost — which currently takes up about 40 per cent of their budget — and by linking them more easily to city transport networks,” he said.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu described Omi Eko as a bold, forward-looking response to Lagos’s twin challenges of population growth and environmental pressure.

“Our goal is simple but profound — to make movement seamless and the air cleaner, and to transform our waterways from barriers of separation into corridors of opportunity,” he said.

When completed, Omi Eko is expected to establish Lagos as a continental leader in sustainable water transport, combining technology, environmental resilience, and smart infrastructure to redefine daily commuting in Africa’s largest city.