Monday, June 15, 2026

The Sun Nigeria

We aim to transform waterways to opportunity corridors – Sanwo-Olu

Lagos

•L-R: Chairman, Committee on Transportation, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Adewale Temitope; Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr. Sola Giwa; General Manager, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mr. Damilola Emmanuel; Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi; Secretary to Lagos State Government, Barr. ‘Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin; Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria, Ambassador Gautier Mignot; former Governor of Lagos State and Minister of Works, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Director of the African Division, the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Sandra Kassab; representative of the European Investment Bank and APC Lagos Chairman, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi during the official launch of the Lagos State Waterways Authority, LASWA “Omi Eko project” at the Five Cowries Terminal in Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, October 17, 2025.

By Lukman Olabiyi

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transforming Lagos waterways from mere geographical features into vital corridors of economic opportunity and sustainable transportation.

Speaking yesterday at the official launch of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) “Omi Eko Project,” the governor said the initiative marks a historic step in reimagining Lagos’ transport and environmental landscape.

“For centuries, water has defined the rhythm of Lagos. From the bustling trade canoes of our ancestors to the ferries that glide across our lagoon today, our story has always been written on water. But history is not just what we inherit; it is also what we choose to create,” Sanwo-Olu said in his keynote address.

Describing the Omi Eko Project as a “bold statement” of intent, the governor noted that the project represents Lagos’ vision to lead the continent in developing a sustainable, connected, and future-oriented water transportation system.

“This is not just a project unveiling. It is a comprehensive, future-oriented blueprint that merges technology, environmental stewardship and smart design to create waterways that are not just navigated but optimised,” he added.

The governor emphasised that the project would ease traffic congestion, reduce carbon emissions, and open up new economic opportunities across waterfront communities in the state.

In his goodwill message at the event, former Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, applauded the resilient spirit of Sanwo-Olu and his team, urging them to compliment the projects with connectivity links to the rail and road transport system.

Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi noted that the initiative aims to significantly cut travel times, ease road congestion, and offer Lagosians a reliable and environmentally friendly commuting alternative.

Earlier, Special Adviser to the Governor on Blue Economy, Damilola Emmanuel, emphasised that the Omi Eko Project would not only strengthen infrastructure across Lagos waterways but also advance the state’s climate resilience goals and sustainable transport.