… Reaffirms Commitment to Sustainable Water Transportation in Lagos
CAPACITY BUILDING: LAGFERRY HOSTS 2025 STRATEGIC RETREAT
… Reaffirms Commitment to Sustainable Water Transportation in Lagos
The Managing Director, Lagos State Ferry Services (LAGFERRY), Hon. Abdoulbaq Ladi Balogun, has reiterated the agency’s commitment to advancing sustainable water transportation as part of the state’s integrated, multimodal transport system under the T.H.E.M.E.S Plus Agenda, where Transportation and Traffic Management is the first pillar.
Hon. Balogun gave this assurance at the agency’s 2025 Annual Strategic Retreat, themed: “Advancing Water Transportation for a Sustainable Lagos,” held recently at Festival Hotel, Amuwo-Odofin.
“LAGFERRY is fully committed to integrating water, rail, and road transportation to provide efficient, safe, and accessible mobility options for all Lagosians. A functional and sustainable transport network is the bedrock of urban development,” he stated.
Highlighting the agency’s transformation since 2020, he noted significant milestones, including the expansion of LAGFERRY’s fleet from 4 to 22 boats, the commuting of over three million passengers, and growth from seven terminals/jetties to 17, now operating across 25 routes in the state. He added that insights from past retreats, particularly the 2024 edition which focused on taxation and revenue generation, have directly contributed to improvements in the agency’s financial performance.
The Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, Mrs. Sunkanmi Oyegbola, commended LAGFERRY for easing traffic congestion by offering a reliable alternative mode of transportation, thereby saving commuters valuable man-hours. She further urged management staff to continually enhance their knowledge and skills to sustain this progress.
Mrs. Oyegbola also emphasised the importance of inter-agency collaboration, citing the need for synergy with the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure, responsible for jetty development, and the Ministry of Works, responsible for access roads to jetties. She encouraged participants to be visionary, intentional, and guided by the acronym H.I.D.E – Hardwork, Integrity, Diligence, and Empathy.
In his goodwill message, the Special Adviser, Parastatals Monitoring Office, Hon. Ibrahim Obanikoro, lauded LAGFERRY as a model of innovation and dedication, describing the agency as a strategic driver of multimodal transportation in Lagos State. He praised its alignment with the state’s broader development goals and encouraged it to sustain its leading role in water transportation.