Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has presented plans for the €410 million (US$442.3 million) Omi Eko water transport project to the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).

The plans include detailed designs, timelines and an implementation strategy for the scheme, which is due to be implemented between 2024 and 2030.

The aim of the project is to integrate water routes with existing road and rail transportation in the Nigerian state in order to create a multi-modal integrated transport system. About three quarters of Lagos' 20 local government areas and 37 local council development authority (LCDA) areas are accessible by water.

The Omi Eko scheme is also part of the Abidjan-Lagos strategic corridor, which will connect the southwestern Nigerian state to Cote d’Ivoire’s capital.

The Omi Eko water transport project entails the construction of 25 ferry terminals and the creation of 10 priority routes and 47 feeder routes for a 140km lagoon and river transport network.

The network will be served by a fleet of 78 electric vessels, which will rely on solar power infrastructure to produce a third of their electricity needs.

The project also includes building a shipyard for vessel maintenance and a control centre for the transport network, as well as the provision of equipment for maintenance and associated systems such as ticketing.

Proposed ferry terminals under Omi Eko schemeSource: French embassy in Nigeria

The design of the infrastructure for the ferry terminals and jetties will favour floating rather than fixed concrete pontoons and will take into account potential sea level rise of 80cm by 2100. The design will also integrate efficient drainage systems to prevent flooding, which is a prevalent risk in Lagos.

There are currently 28 operational jetties and terminals in Lagos state, all of which are regulated by LASWA, in addition to more than 30 commercial inland waterways routes.

The Omi Eko scheme is being supported by €300 million (US$324 million) in loans from the French Development Agency (AFD) and the European Investment Bank and a €60 million (US$64.7 million) grant from the EU, which will cover the cost of building electricity production and charging infrastructure.

Formerly known as the Waterways Investment and Development of the Environment in Lagos State (WIDE-LAG) project, the Omi Eko scheme is part of the Lagos State Strategic Transport Master Plan (LSTMP), which targets the creation of a flexible, sustainable and efficient mass rapid transit system in the state by 2052.

LASWA aims to increase the frequency of water transport use in Lagos to about 40% of total transport demand by 2030.