Blue Economy
EKO WATER TAXI SCHEME SET FOR LEKKI-EPE LAUNCH AS LAGOS DOUBLES DOWN ON WATERWAYS TRANSPORT
EKO WATER TAXI SCHEME SET FOR LEKKI-EPE LAUNCH AS LAGOS DOUBLES DOWN ON WATERWAYS TRANSPORT
LAGFERRY to deploy modern vessels on high-traffic corridor under €410m Omi-Eko masterplan; two-hour road journey savings projected for commuters
LAGOS, April 20, 2026 | By Okeoghene Onoriobe, Waterways News Correspondent
The Lagos State Government is on the verge of launching the Eko Water Taxi scheme on the Lekki-Epe corridor, in a move that signals the state’s most determined push yet to shift mass commuters from its gridlocked road network onto the water.
The scheme, being driven by the Lagos State Ferry Services — LAGFERRY — forms part of the wider Omi-Eko project, a €410 million infrastructure programme targeting the modernisation of 25 ferry terminals and the dredging of 15 key ferry routes across the Lagos metropolis. Officials say deployment on the Lekki-Epe axis is imminent.
Why Lekki-Epe?
The Lekki-Epe corridor ranks among the most congested stretches of road in Africa’s largest city, with commuters routinely losing two or more hours daily to traffic delays. The economic toll of that lost productivity, industry observers estimate, runs into billions of naira annually. By introducing a dedicated water taxi service along the lagoon routes that shadow this corridor, the Lagos State Government is betting that a reliable, faster waterborne alternative can meaningfully reduce vehicle volumes on the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
Officials say the water taxi system is designed as an integrated transport product, linking termini with existing road and rail networks to enable seamless door-to-door commuting.
Green Vessels, Blue Economy
The vessels earmarked for deployment are described as low-emission, low-noise modern craft aligned with the state’s decarbonisation commitments. Lagos State has repositioned its waterways strategy firmly within a “Blue Economy” framework — treating the city’s extensive lagoon and creek network not as a secondary transport fall-back but as a primary mobility corridor in its own right.
Omi-Eko: The Larger Canvas
The Eko Water Taxi rollout is one visible early output of the Omi-Eko project, which remains the centrepiece of Lagos State’s long-range waterways transformation agenda. The €410 million programme encompasses terminal upgrades, route dredging, and the professionalisation of ferry operations across the city — ambitions that LAGFERRY is now being tasked to deliver within a defined timeline.
Nigeria Watch | What This Means for the Waterways Sector
The impending Lekki-Epe launch carries implications well beyond Lagos traffic management. For Nigeria’s inland waterways sector, it represents a high-profile test case: can a state government deploy regulated, scheduled water transport at scale on a commercially viable corridor?
Several dynamics are worth tracking. First, the LASWA-NIWA jurisdictional question — Lagos State operates LAGFERRY through LASWA on intrastate waters, but federal oversight through NIWA remains a background tension that has historically complicated waterways investment. How Omi-Eko navigates that regulatory architecture will set a precedent
Second, for operators in the informal boat transport sector — including cooperatives and individual owners currently serving the Lekki and Epe waterfront communities — the formalisation of a state-backed competitor on these routes raises urgent questions about market access, route allocation, and whether existing operators will be integrated into the new model or displaced by it.
Third, this development reinforces the momentum building around Lagos waterways as a Blue Economy asset class. With the Lekki Deep Sea Port now operational and the Dangote Refinery reshaping coastal freight patterns, the case for professionalised inner-city water transport has never been stronger.
Waterways News will monitor the Eko Water Taxi launch closely.
Waterways News is Nigeria’s specialist publication covering maritime, shipping, and the blue economy.