Oluwadamilola Emmanuel

Thank you very much. It is my pleasure to be here, and congratulations once again.

 For Lagos State, it is more than just putting together a policy. It is really about implementation. When you think about the maritime wealth of the nation, a significant proportion of that activity sits in Lagos. That is why it is important to have the right enabling environment, whether in water transportation, port development, fisheries, coastal tourism or coastal communities. All of these areas are very important.

 In terms of opportunities, I would particularly highlight fisheries. There is a lot of illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing in Lagos State, and fisheries have significant potential as a revenue generator for not just the state but the nation. I believe a lot more can be done in this area.

 I also believe local tourism provides significant value. It is not only about economic revenue. It also creates opportunities for young people to participate in the maritime ecosystem and gain employment.

 Water transportation then becomes an enabler for these sectors. Transportation is something that is often subsidised because it is an enabler for the economy and helps other parts of the economy to grow.

 Passenger transport will usually require some level of support, but when you think about cargo transport, that is where the state can potentially generate revenue beyond infrastructure, where the infrastructure exists.

 Cargo currently falls within the remit of the Nigerian Ports Authority, and Lagos State wants to work in tandem with the NPA. Lagos is not trying to take on federal duties because there are important jurisdictional issues. What we want to ensure is collaboration.

 As the ports operate within Lagos, we want to ensure that they adhere to safety measures while also creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. We have Lekki Deep Sea Port, Apapa and Tin Can Island. The question is how we ensure that these ports are properly integrated into the plans for Lagos State.

 So, that is where I currently see cargo sitting. The NPA drives that area for now, while Lagos State provides the enabling environment. What happens in the future may evolve, but collaboration between the state and federal authorities is essential.

What you have described is exactly what Lagos State is building. Lagos no longer builds any mode of transportation in isolation.

 Connectivity is now part of the planning process.

 You are seeing that come into play at Marina, where there is a major interchange, and Lagos has plans to implement two major interchanges, at Marina and Mile 2, bringing together bus, rail and water transportation.

Looking closely at water transportation, Omi Èkó is set to deliver vessels with passenger capacities ranging from 50 to 200 passengers. The whole idea is to significantly increase the number of people using water transportation.

There are significant advantages to water transportation, particularly time savings. The vessels being procured are also expected to reduce carbon emissions. That has implications not just for individual passengers but for livelihoods and businesses because time savings also translate into economic benefits.

 However, we also have to think about what happens after people get off the ferry. How do they reach their final destination? That is where first-mile and last-mile connectivity becomes important.

 Lagos has first-mile and last-mile bus services that can connect passengers to the BRT network where it is available, particularly along major routes.

 The way Lagos looks at it is that road and water transportation must work in tandem, with rail also connected where it is available. The good thing is that there is one payment system through the Cowry card, which is used across road, rail and water transportation.

 At the moment, the main connections are between road and water transportation. Lagos has also prioritised roads leading to major jetties. The Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Works, works with the Ministry of Transportation to prioritise roads leading to jetties because, ultimately, the objective is to aid mobility across the state.

 It is working, but there is still a lot more to be done, particularly as we look to revamp terminals and jetties.

 We are also looking at park-and-ride facilities. The future of the water transportation system we are building is one where people can park their cars and continue their journey by water.

This is a very important question.

When we think about electric transportation, we think about sustainability. 

Lagos State has experience with electrification through other transport modes. The Blue Line, for example, is fully electrified, and the power infrastructure supporting it provides useful experience as we think about the requirements for water transportation.

The same principle has to apply to water transportation. We have to make sure that the different modes have access to adequate charging infrastructure and reliable power.

The Omi Èkó project comes with 12 terminals that are fitted with charging infrastructure. The next requirement is ensuring that adequate power gets to each of these jetties so that the charging infrastructure can operate effectively. 

For electric water transportation to work at scale, therefore, it is not enough to procure electric vessels.

The supporting infrastructure has to be in place, including charging facilities and adequate power at the terminals.

What Lagos does is learn. We have a lot of peer-to-peer learning, and the good thing is that we have other transport modes that have gone through similar transitions.

 When those systems were being implemented, there were challenges. We look at what has worked and what has not worked, and we replicate the approaches that are relevant to the waterways.

 There is something called the Bus Industry Transition Plan. This is where you have seen Danfo buses being phased out in tandem with their unions and replaced with more standard buses.

 A similar process is happening on the waterways through the Vessel Industry Transition Plan, or VITP. The objective is to help formalise the informal sector rather than simply remove them from the system.

 They will be given options. One option is to come into the new system as part of consortiums that will operate the boats being purchased. Another option is a buyout plan. A third option is to move to other feeder routes, with some form of compensation.

 The principle is that the project should not simply displace people who have depended on the waterways for their livelihoods.

 Our foreign partners have also made it clear that no Lagosian should lose their source of livelihood because of a new project.

Local knowledge is also extremely important. Even where international experience is brought in, you still need local knowledge because, at the end of the day, it is water. You must have people who understand the local waterways and the environment in which the system operates.

 So, there is a detailed plan behind the transition, with significant stakeholder engagement and consultation. The objective is to ensure that existing operators are not simply phased out without a solid process for managing the transition.

I will be honest with you, I cannot give those figures right now. The reason is that we are currently carrying out feasibility studies on the different components of the Blue Economy.

 Those feasibility studies will help identify where the revenue opportunities are and how the different components can generate economic value. They are important because we need to understand the potential of each area before we can speak confidently about specific revenue projections.

 We also have to ensure that what Lagos State is planning is in alignment with what the Federal Government is doing. That synergy between the state and federal levels is extremely important.

I cannot speak to the numbers at this point, but I know that significant focus will go towards coastal tourism and fisheries, which I mentioned earlier.

 A lot of infrastructure is already being developed through Omi Èkó for water transportation. We are also looking at fisheries and coastal tourism, as well as additional port infrastructure.

 Badagry Deep Sea Port is another development that Lagos State needs to position itself around. As these developments progress, we need to ensure that Lagos is properly positioned to take advantage of the opportunities they create.

 The objective is to understand the different components of the Blue Economy, identify where value can be created, and then position Lagos to capture that value.

The objective is to understand the different components of the Blue Economy, identify where value can be created, and then position Lagos to capture that value.

The short, medium and long-term plan for the Lagos State Blue Economy is to have a Blue Economy blueprint for Lagos State.

 As you know, Lagos is a hub, and a significant amount of maritime activity in Nigeria is centred here. We need a blueprint that reflects that reality.

 The blueprint must also be aligned with the policy direction of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy. We do not want to deviate from the federal direction. We want to collaborate, align and work in tandem with it.

 In the short term, the priority is to develop the Lagos Blue Economy blueprint. The Omi Èkó project also falls within the short to medium term as we begin to expand water transportation.

 Beyond that, we will look at additional harbours across Lagos State. Marina and Five Cowries are among the areas being considered as the system develops.

 In the longer term, there is a need to fully regulate the fishing industry in Lagos State.

 We also want to work more closely with the Nigerian Ports Authority on port development and on how cargo can move seamlessly on the waterways from point A to point B, whether the cargo is moving externally from Lagos or internally within Lagos.

 Finally, we need to look closely at our coastal areas, including Ibeshe and Ilashe, and consider how these locations can be developed into full tourism hubs for Lagos State.

 Ultimately, the objective is to create a Blue Economy ecosystem that connects transportation, ports, fisheries, tourism, infrastructure and the wider economic opportunities around the waterways.