As part of efforts to reduce heavy traffic and lessen the reliance on road transport, the Lagos State Government is working to improve its rail and water transport systems. The main goal is to move large numbers of people safely and efficiently.
Mr. Damilola Emmanuel, General Manager of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), said in Lagos recently that a new transport hub has been built at Marina.
Another will soon be built at Mile 2. These hubs will allow passengers to easily switch between different types of transport, such as road, rail, or water, based on where they are going.
He explained that passengers using the state-owned train between Mile 2 and Marina can already choose to continue their journey to places like Epe or Ajah by either boat or road transport.
Emmanuel added that once the new railway from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko is completed, people arriving by ferry at Mile 2 will also be able to continue their trip by train or by road.
He noted that 15 out of the 20 local government areas in Lagos have access to water. Because of this, the government is focusing on improving both ferry and train services to help move people more easily in large numbers.
Mr. Emmanuel shared this information during a recent meeting in Lagos with officials from the Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), the Interferry Association, and members of the Transportation Correspondents Association of Nigeria (TCAN).
He also expressed concern about the many hours people waste in traffic due to over-reliance on road travel.He described Interferry as a global safety organization that promotes ferry safety around the world—from Europe to America, Asia, and Africa.
He also said that the Control Room at LASWA uses data to guide important decisions. This data helps identify where ferry services are most used and where to focus more on safety improvements.
Also speaking, Interferry’s CEO, Mike Corrigan, said that his team brought 12 safety experts to Lagos to help LASWA improve its safety measures on the waterways.
