Stakeholders who gathered at the Regional Ferry Safety Conference yesterday highlighted the need to ensure safety on waterways.
In a bold call for regional cooperation and innovation in water transportation, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, challenges stakeholders from across West and Central Africa, hosted by the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), to enhance safety.
Describing Lagos as the “vibrant commercial heart of Nigeria”, Hamzat emphasized that ferry transportation is no longer optional but essential for cities like Lagos with over 25 million residents.
“As we embrace growth, we must simultaneously uphold rigorous, enforceable and technologically advanced safety standards,” he said.
Highlighting Lagos State’s strategic investments in maritime infrastructure and safety, Hamzat noted the deployment of modern jetties, ferry terminals, digital monitoring systems and the establishment of the first inland waterways monitoring and data management centre.
Locally-built Omi-bus ferries have been introduced to enhance capacity and resilience, he said.
The deputy governor stressed that ferry safety must be approached as a regional imperative, not just a local concern.
“We must forge common safety frameworks, share crucial data, standardise training and embrace innovation. GPS, radar, automation and advanced ship designs are essential to revolutionising ferry safety in our region,” he said.
Calling on participants and regional partners including MOWCA and INTERFERRY, Hamzat said the conference catalyzed championing lasting change.
“Let this gathering spark partnerships, aligned policies and concrete solutions that will outlive the conference itself,” he added.
Reaffirming Lagos state’s leadership role, Hamzat noted: “We are not only ready but also resolutely committed to creating a future where ferry transportation is efficient, accessible and, above all, unfailingly safe and sustainable.”
The two-day conference continues with technical sessions aimed at shaping policy frameworks and strengthening collaboration across Africa’s inland and coastal waterways.
Also speaking at the conference, Commissioner of Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, called for regional collaboration, innovation and shared responsibility to enhance maritime safety across West and Central Africa.
Osiyemi highlighted Lagos’s strategic reforms and investments that have elevated water transportation from a supporting role to a central pillar of the urban transit system.
“With the rapid population growth in coastal cities across Africa, ferry services have become not just an option but a necessity,” he said.
Under the leadership of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and through initiatives by the LASWA, the state has prioritised safety in water transport policies.
This includes the development of modern terminals and jetties, digital monitoring systems, distribution of life jackets and strict operational guidelines.
“Maritime safety is not a destination but a continuous journey, one that demands collaboration, innovation and vigilance,” Osiyemi emphasized.
He urged attendees, including government agencies, private operators, international partners and technical experts, to act with unity and urgency to raise safety standards across the region.
