€410m Omi Eko Project: Lagos Installs Pontoons to Improve Water Transport
Segun James
As part of an effort to modernise and upgrade the Lagos State water transportation system, the state government has announced the installation of concrete pontoons at select jetties across the state.
The state Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Hon. Dayo Bush Alebiosu, who disclosed this in Lagos yesterday, said that the modern concrete floating pontoons, which serve as flexible docking platforms, are already being installed at jetties in Agboyi Ketu (Kosofe LGA), Ijegun Egba (Amuwo Odofin LGA), and Bayeku/Ikorodu (Ikorodu LGA).
The initiative aims to enhance safety, take away fears from commuters, and provide comfort for waterway commuters while supporting the broader vision for intermodal transportation under the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES+ agenda.
He added that similar installations are planned for Ebute Ero (Lagos Island), Ijede (Ikorodu), Apa (Badagry), Mile 2 (Amuwo Odofin), Mowo (Ojo LGA), and several other strategic locations.
Alebiosu explained that: “These pontoons are crafted from rigid concrete blocks, designed to float and withstand wave pressure while offering stability.
“They take away the fear most passengers have when boarding boats due to shaky platforms. This innovation provides a flat, concrete surface that feels almost like boarding from solid ground.”
The commissioner highlighted that the modular design allows the pontoons to double as temporary bridges during seasonal flooding or erosion-a feature demonstrated in similar installations in other regions.
The Falomo Jetty (Five Cowries Terminal) is a partial installation, where a two-sided pontoon is in use. But with the new installations currently going on, they are six-sided rigid pontoons, offering 360-degree functionality for docking and crowd movement.
The pontoon upgrade is one component of the Omi Eko Project- a €410 million initiative to modernise Lagos’ water transportation system.
The comprehensive project, scheduled for completion between 2024 and 2030, will introduce 78 high-capacity electric ferries, dredge and channelise 15 routes, expand 25 terminals, and integrate a digital ticketing system using the Cowry Card for seamless transfers between ferries, buses, and the Lagos Metro.
Other key objectives include reducing roadway congestion, improving commuter safety, cutting greenhouse emissions through electric vessels, and ensuring climate resilience against sea level rise.
The project is jointly funded by the French Development Agency (AFD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the European Union.
Alebiosu reaffirmed the state’s commitment to inclusive development, assuring the state that water transport is being positioned as a central pillar of the state’s mobility plan.
“This is more than infrastructure-it’s about transforming the way Lagosians move, work, and connect. We are building a safe, sustainable, and globally competitive water transport system that complements our roads and rail,” he stated.
