The Managing Director of Lagos State Ferry Services (LAGFERRY), Hon. Abdoulbaq Ladi Balogun, has reaffirmed the agency’s unwavering commitment to providing safe, reliable, and efficient water transportation in Lagos.

Speaking at the Annual Thanksgiving Year of Sustainable Mobility 2026, Balogun highlighted the agency’s achievements over the past year, emphasizing safety, operational excellence, and the continuous improvement of systems and services to meet the growing needs of passengers, business owners, and other stakeholders across the state’s waterways.

He highlighted the rich history, growth and transformation of water transportation in Lagos State, attributing its current success to visionary leadership across successive administrations.

He traced the origin of LAGFERRY to 1980, when it was established under the administration of the late Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, former Governor of Lagos State.

According to him, the foundation laid by past administrations continues to shape Lagos State’s transport sector today, particularly under the leadership of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.

He recalled that in 2000, during the tenure of then-Governor of Lagos State and now President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a formal framework was created to transform water transportation through the establishment of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) as the regulator and LAGFERRY as the agency responsible for commercial ferry operations.

Balogun explained that between 2007 and 2015, the administration of Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, built on this foundation by strengthening the multimodal transportation agenda to reduce the state’s dependence on road transport. This trajectory, he said, was sustained during the administration of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

He further noted that upon assuming office in 2019, Governor Sanwo-Olu made a deliberate effort to consolidate and expand existing gains in the water transport sector. “We never had it so good,” Balogun stated, recalling that before then, only a few boats served millions of Lagosians.

He revealed that within six months of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s tenure, eight world-class boats were injected into the LAGFERRY fleet, and within a year, the fleet was expanded from 12 to 20 boats due to the agency’s impressive performance.

The LAGFERRY MD also highlighted landmark initiatives such as OMIBUS, delivered through public-private partnerships, and the ongoing OMI-EKO Project, a €410 million investment expected to permanently transform Lagos State’s waterways and marine transportation system.

Balogun commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for his visionary leadership and consistent support, assuring that the LAGFERRY workforce remains motivated to deliver safe, efficient and timely services to Lagosians.

In a major highlight, Balogun expressed gratitude to Governor Sanwo-Olu for the regularisation of 144 LAGFERRY staff into the Lagos State Public Service, describing the gesture as life-changing and deserving of a standing ovation.

According to him, the modest achievements and successes recorded by the agency were products of divine grace and purposeful leadership, noting that the Lagos State Government has continued to transform waterways, marine transportation and water tourism across the state.

He described the past year as “a big plus” for LAGFERRY and expressed optimism that the agency would surpass its performance in 2026 with the continued support of stakeholders.

He particularly appreciated passengers, customers, business owners and all users of water transportation for their trust and patronage.

Highlighting safety as a major milestone, the LAGFERRY boss disclosed that the agency recorded no near-miss incidents throughout the year. He attributed this achievement to the dedication of staff, strict adherence to safety standards and effective management of boat assets.
Balogun reaffirmed LAGFERRY’s commitment to continuous improvement, pledging to further strengthen its systems and expand operations while building on past successes.

He also offered prayers for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, members of the State Executive Council and the Ministry of Transportation, LAGFERRY’s parent ministry, praying for divine guidance and support as the agency works toward greater accomplishments in 2026 and beyond.

Mrs. Morenike Oki, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Olawale Musa, commended LAGFERRY’s performance and the staff’s efforts in assisting the Managing Director in achieving the agency’s objectives.

Special Adviser on Islamic Affairs, Dr. Ahmad Jebe, offered prayers for the agency’s continued success and applauded Balogun for his hard work at LAGFERRY since 2019. He also urged Lagosians to consider traveling by water, noting that it is a safe and reliable mode of transportation.

Similarly, the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Christian Affairs, Rev. Bukola Adeleke, prayed for the growth of LAGFERRY and lauded the agency for safely transporting residents across the waterways of Lagos.