The Managing Director of the Lagos State Ferry Service (LAGFERRY), Ladi Balogun, has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to delivering a safe, efficient, and timely water transport network, citing a sustained revolution in the sector under the current administration.

Speaking at the agency’s annual thanksgiving service in Amuwo-Odofin, Balogun traced the evolution of Lagos’s waterways from their colonial-era inception in 1923 to their modern-day expansion, crediting successive governors for laying the foundations of the state’s multimodal transport vision.

He highlighted the historical significance of the Amuwo-Odofin terminal, noting it was constructed in 1980 under the late Governor Lateef Jakande. In a nod to the continuity of Lagos governance, he remarked that the Commissioner for Transportation at the time was the father of the state’s current Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat.

The formal structural transformation of the sector, however, was attributed to the then-Governor and current President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“In 2000, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu formally transformed water transport by establishing the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) as the regulator and LAGFERRY as the commercial operator,” Balogun said, noting that the vision was later expanded by the administrations of Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode.

Despite decades of groundwork, Balogun argued that the most significant leap has occurred since 2019. He noted that the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu inherited an agency operating with only one or two commercial boats.

“Within the first six months, the Sanwo-Olu administration added eight world-class ferries to the fleet, bringing the total to 20 within a year,” he said.

The Managing Director expressed optimism about the future of the state’s blue economy, citing several high-profile initiatives currently in the pipeline.

“A fleet expansion aimed at enhancing commuter capacity. A massive investment expected to permanently modernise the state’s ferry infrastructure and increase the role of commercial stakeholders in water transit,” he said.

Representing the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation, Mrs. Morenike Oki commended the staff for their role in fulfilling the agency’s mandate.

The event concluded with interfaith prayers offered by the Special Advisers to the Governor on Islamic and Christian Affairs, Dr. Ahmad Jebe and Rev. Bukola Adeleke, for the continued success of the state and federal leadership.