On October 17, 2025, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu launched the €410 million OMI-EKO waterways infrastructure project in Lagos, a collaboration with the European Union to enhance sustainable transportation. Funded through the Global Gateway Initiative, French Development Agency, EU, and European Investment Bank, the project, managed by the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), aims for completion by 2030.
The initiative includes dredging 140km of 15 priority ferry routes, constructing 25 modern ferry terminals with electric charging facilities, and deploying 70 hybrid electric ferries.
It will reduce CO2 emissions by 41,000 tonnes annually, serve 25,000 passengers yearly, and cut travel time by three hours per trip. The project also features onshore depots, road connections, and support for informal boat operators.
Sanwo-Olu called OMI-EKO a “historic” step toward sustainable mobility under the THEMES+ Agenda, addressing urban growth and climate change. Former Governor Babatunde Fashola praised the project’s potential to expand Lagos’ multimodal transport system. LASWA’s head, Damilola Emmanuel, highlighted its role in building a water-based economy, while EU and French representatives emphasized the project’s significance for sustainable development and bilateral cooperation.
