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LASWA: Where innovation meets People

Damilola Emmanuel

John Alabi

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, recently struck a chord at an event in Lagos when he emphasised that scaling up innovation to empower the people remains a critical pathway to sustainable development.

Innovation itself may not be a challenge for leaders across Nigeria’s economic and political landscape.

The real test, however, lies in translating promising ideas into tangible outcomes that improve the welfare, prosperity and happiness of the people.

This is the very essence of people-centred governance and a fundamental pillar of national development.

In a littoral state like Lagos, where waterways remain an important economic asset, the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has evolved beyond the conventional role of regulation and compliance.

Under Damilola Emmanuel leadership, the agency is increasingly positioning itself as a strategic bridge connecting underserved waterfront communities to economic opportunities, improved mobility and broader socioeconomic development.

As Lagos prepares for another political transition in 2027, the LASWA experience offers an important perspective on how purposeful innovation can bring previously overlooked communities into the mainstream of the state’s development agenda.

LASWA’s vision in this regard is neither whimsical nor accidental. It reflects a deliberate effort to empower littoral communities beyond the traditional movement of people and goods, integrating them into a broader governance and economic framework capable of unlocking new opportunities for livelihoods, commerce, tourism and investment.

So, what exactly does LASWA do, and how is it redefining the relationship between waterways and community development?

First, the agency promotes safety on Lagos inland waterways through strategic regulatory measures designed to ensure that vessels operating on the state’s waterways meet established safety requirements.

Beyond this statutory responsibility, however, LASWA is increasingly demonstrating how effective water transportation planning can unlock other economic opportunities for communities situated along the state’s extensive network of waterways.

Through the leadership of Damilola Emmanuel, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Marine and Blue Economy, LASWA has continued to explore how water transportation can become a catalyst for broader socioeconomic transformation.

Emmanuel’s approach reflects a recognition that waterways are not merely routes for boats and ferries. Properly developed and connected, they can serve as corridors for commerce, tourism, employment generation and community integration.

Consider what LASWA has reportedly achieved through its mapping of Lagos’ littoral communities.

The agency has identified approximately 134 littoral communities across seven local government areas in the state’s three senatorial districts, with an estimated combined population of 502,002 residents.

Beyond the numbers, the exercise reveals an extensive network of communities whose economic potential could be significantly enhanced through improved transportation infrastructure, connectivity and targeted development initiatives.

In Lagos West, the mapping covers Amuwo-Odofin, Badagry and Ojo, with a combined 56 littoral communities and an estimated population of 290,987.

These communities represent a significant economic constituency whose proximity to waterways offers opportunities for commercial expansion, marine tourism, fisheries-related activities and other blue economy enterprises.

With the right infrastructure and policy support, this axis could become an increasingly attractive destination for investors and tourists, drawing on the kind of waterfront economic dynamism associated with established maritime cities such as New York and Venice.

In Lagos East, LASWA has identified 75 littoral communities across Epe and Ibeju-Lekki, with an estimated population of 187,018. Some of these settlements remain relatively underdeveloped, presenting opportunities for strategic interventions that could improve access to markets, expand local businesses and stimulate new economic activities.

The Lagos Central district, covering communities in Eti-Osa and Apapa, accounts for three identified littoral communities with an estimated population of 23,997.

Despite their proximity to important commercial and maritime centres, these communities also stand to benefit from improved connectivity and targeted investments capable of strengthening their economic participation.

Taken together, these figures point to the enormous development possibilities embedded in Lagos’ waterfront settlements.

They also reinforce the need to view water transportation as more than an alternative means of commuting.

It is a potential instrument for opening up new economic frontiers and connecting communities to the opportunities available across the state.

The significance of Lagos West is particularly noteworthy, given its substantial share of the mapped population.

Improved connectivity across this axis could strengthen access to employment, commercial activities and tourism, while creating new opportunities for investors seeking to participate in Lagos’ expanding marine and blue economy.

For Emmanuel, LASWA’s mandate extends beyond boats, engines and safety regulations.

It is also about building an institutional framework through which communities surrounded by water can participate more meaningfully in the state’s economic development.

This understanding is reflected in the identification of approximately 34 rural settlements described as “anchor littoral communities”.

According to the information provided by the agency, these communities have populations exceeding 5,000 residents and could benefit from improved access through water transportation initiatives.

Connecting such settlements to established commercial centres could improve access to markets, reduce mobility constraints and encourage economic activities that might otherwise remain limited by inadequate transportation infrastructure.

Similarly, LASWA has identified 64 feeder communities with varying population sizes, reportedly ranging from about 1,000 to more than 200,000 residents.

These settlements present additional opportunities for infrastructure development and economic linkages with inland communities and other urban destinations.

The identification of anchor and feeder communities is particularly important because it introduces a more structured approach to planning.

Rather than treating every waterfront settlement as an isolated location, the strategy creates room for a network of connected communities, with transportation routes supporting the movement of people, goods and services.

This is where the broader value of satellite settlements becomes apparent. By integrating communities that have historically faced limited access to essential economic opportunities, Lagos can expand the reach of development, encourage local enterprise and create new pathways to prosperity.

Ultimately, leadership must be measured by its impact on people’s lives.

It must deliberately connect welfare, economic empowerment and improved access to opportunities with a development agenda that enables communities to become productive contributors to the economy rather than passive recipients of government intervention.

One practical illustration of this approach is the reported connection between Ibeshe Jetty and Majidun.

The initiative provides an alternative route for ferry operations to bypass waterways affected by water hyacinth, potentially improving connectivity and creating additional travel options for residents.

Beyond its immediate transportation benefits, such interventions demonstrate how relatively targeted infrastructure solutions can address specific geographical challenges while opening up opportunities for tourism and other economic activities.

The experience also offers a glimpse into the possibilities of integrating environmental realities into transportation planning.

In communities where water hyacinth can disrupt navigation, alternative routes and carefully planned infrastructure can help sustain mobility and improve access.

Where, then, does the European Union- and Agence Française de Développement (AFD)-backed Omi Eko project fit into this development framework?

The initiative is designed to support the development of climate-smart water transportation in Lagos, with the potential to strengthen the state’s inland waterways system.

Its relevance extends beyond improving the efficiency of existing routes. It also raises the prospect of expanding connectivity and making water transportation more accessible to communities that have remained outside the mainstream of infrastructure development.

For the littoral communities identified by LASWA, the project’s broader promise lies in the possibility of connecting transportation planning with environmental sustainability, improved mobility and inclusive economic growth.

If effectively implemented alongside complementary infrastructure and community-focused policies, Omi Eko could help strengthen the foundations for a more integrated inland waterways network, allowing the benefits of improved transportation to reach a wider segment of Lagos’ population.

LASWA’s infrastructure development efforts provide another indication of this evolving agenda. Since 2023, seven jetties have reportedly been commissioned, while another 13 are under construction or awaiting commissioning.

These projects are significant not merely as physical structures but as potential gateways to economic participation.

A well-planned jetty can improve access to transportation, support local businesses, encourage tourism and make it easier for residents to connect with commercial centres.

The real measure of success, however, will be the extent to which these investments translate into safer journeys, reduced travel difficulties, stronger local economies and improved living conditions for the people who depend on the waterways.

As Lagos continues to explore the opportunities presented by its marine and blue economy, LASWA’s community-mapping initiative and infrastructure interventions offer a useful example of how innovation can be directed towards inclusive development.

The challenge ahead is to sustain this momentum through effective implementation, adequate maintenance, reliable ferry services, environmental protection and partnerships that encourage private-sector participation. Equally important is ensuring that the communities identified through the mapping exercise become active participants in the development process.

For Damilola Emmanuel and LASWA, the task is therefore much bigger than managing water transportation.

It is about demonstrating how an institution can use innovation, planning and connectivity to bring overlooked communities into the state’s socioeconomic development framework.

Lagos’ rivers, creeks and coastal waters have often been viewed primarily as geographical barriers or operational challenges.

With the right policies, investments and institutional commitment, however, these same waterways can become valuable assets for commerce, tourism, employment and community development.

That is the larger promise of LASWA’s evolving role: transforming waterways from obstacles into opportunities and connecting people not only to destinations, but also to the economic possibilities that lie beyond them.

In the final analysis, innovation achieves its greatest value when its benefits are felt by ordinary people. And where waterways meet purposeful leadership, the possibilities for inclusive growth in Lagos are considerable.

Headlines

NIHOTOUR trains over 700 staff in digital skills, advocates institutional reforms

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) has successfully concluded a five-day intensive practical digital skills training programme for over 700 members of staff across its directorates, in a major step towards strengthening institutional capacity, improving workforce productivity and advancing its digital transformation agenda.

The programme, conducted from November 2 to 6, 2026, in partnership with Jampitech Solutions Company Limited, was designed to equip staff with practical digital competencies required for effective performance in an increasingly technology-driven workplace.

The training covered essential areas including computer and internet fundamentals, Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, artificial intelligence and workplace automation, cybersecurity and digital safety, digital communication, content creation and practical digital applications.

Speaking at the commencement of the programme, the Director-General/CEO of NIHOTOUR, Aare Abisoye Fagade, FNHT, FRPA, FIMC, described the initiative as a strategic investment in the Institute’s human capital and institutional future.

He emphasised that an organisation seeking to lead professional development and transformation in the hospitality and tourism industry must first demonstrate those values within its own operations.

According to him, “We cannot lead the digital transformation of Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism industry if we are not prepared to embrace digital transformation within our own institution.”

The Director-General noted that the training went beyond basic computer literacy, stressing that the objective was to build a workforce capable of using technology to improve efficiency, strengthen communication, manage information, support informed decision-making and deliver better institutional outcomes.

He further stated that digital transformation was not the responsibility of the ICT Department alone, but a collective responsibility requiring the participation and commitment of every member of staff, irrespective of department or designation.

The initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, particularly its emphasis on human capital development, institutional efficiency, technology adoption, skills acquisition and improved public service delivery.

For NIHOTOUR, the programme also represents an important internal dimension of the ongoing institutional reforms aimed at strengthening its capacity to implement the NIHOTOUR Act 2022 and effectively discharge its responsibilities in training, certification, registration, accreditation and professional standards development across Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism sector.

The Institute recognises that effective implementation of its statutory mandate requires not only sound policies and regulatory frameworks but also a competent, motivated and technologically equipped workforce.

The successful participation of over 700 staff members reflects the Institute’s commitment to ensuring that digital competence becomes an integral part of its organisational culture and everyday operations.

The positive response from staff was also reflected in the appreciation conveyed by the NIHOTOUR Lagos Directorate, which commended the Director-General for his commitment to staff development and investment in building a more digitally capable workforce.

NIHOTOUR expressed appreciation to Jampitech Solutions Company Limited for its technical partnership and facilitation of the programme, as well as to the management and staff members who participated actively throughout the five-day exercise.

The Institute will continue to encourage the practical application of the knowledge acquired, with the expectation that the training will translate into improved departmental efficiency, stronger collaboration, better service delivery and measurable productivity gains.

As NIHOTOUR advances its reform and modernisation agenda, the Institute remains committed to building a workforce that is professionally competent, digitally empowered and adequately prepared to support the growth and global competitiveness of Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism industry.

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Ibom Deep Seaport: From paper approvals to real action

Monday Discourse with Nasiru Ibrahim

The Nigerian maritime media space is currently buzzing with triumphant headlines regarding President Bola Tinubu’s recent “approval” of the Ibom Deep Seaport project in Akwa Ibom State. To the casual observer, this announcement signals the dawn of a new infrastructural era.

Predictably, however, maritime historians, logistics experts, and industry critics have quickly pulled out the archives.

They are rightly pointing out that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) granted this exact project its Final Business Case approval six years ago, on December 16, 2020, under the administration of Muhammadu Buhari.

This retrospective reality check raises immediate, uncomfortable questions for stakeholders: What exactly is new here?

Is this latest declaration just another round of recurring political packaging designed to score cheap points during a high-profile presidential weekend in Uyo?

Or is there a genuine, structural shift taking place beneath the surface of the standard public relations machinery?

To understand this development correctly, we must look past the celebratory press releases and separate the administrative conception of a national infrastructural asset from its actual executive activation.

When the Buhari administration granted FEC approval in late 2020, it successfully established the legal, regulatory, and structural framework for the port under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. It gave the project its baseline legitimacy.

However, as veterans of the Nigerian maritime sector know all too well, administrative approvals do not dredge channels, certificates do not construct breakwaters, and gazettes do not build berths.

For the past six years, the ambitious $4.6 billion megaproject remained thoroughly trapped in an agonizing bureaucratic deadlock.

It lacked the crucial executive push, inter-ministerial synchronization, and specific sovereign financial guarantees required to move the preferred international bidders and concessionaires from the comfort of the boardroom to the physical reality of the Atlantic coastline.

What occurred during the President’s visit to Uyo on Friday, November 6, 2026, was not a mere repetition of the 2020 approval.

It was the critical, long awaited unblocking of the project’s sovereign financing arrangements and federal regulatory clearances.

By responding directly to Governor Umo Eno’s strategic, cross-party appeal, the presidency effectively transitioned the Ibom Deep Seaport from a dusty, dormant file of “past approvals” into an active, high-priority federal execution layout.

The overarching lesson here is a bitter truth that has defined Nigeria’s maritime history for decades: getting a multi-billion-dollar project approved on paper in Abuja is only half the battle.

The real, defining victory lies in securing the executive willpower to trigger the underlying financial and logistics mechanisms.

Former President Buhari gave the project its formal birth certificate in 2020; President Tinubu has just handed it an aggressive mobilization order.

However, this is precisely where the political theater must end and rigorous structural engineering must begin.

The federal greenlight from Abuja has been secured, but the actual burden of execution has now shifted entirely away from the federal capital.

The weight of history and the ultimate success of this asset are now firmly in the court of two critical entities: the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Akwa Ibom State Government.

If this renewed momentum is to avoid the graveyard of unfulfilled Nigerian infrastructure dreams, both parties must immediately collaborate on three non-negotiable operational pillars.

First, they must aggressively lock down the financial commitments of the preferred international concessionaire, ensuring that the 60% private equity investment is formally signed off and liquid.

The Akwa Ibom State Government’s 40% stake can only yield fruit if the private capital is fully mobilized to the site.

Second, the technical teams must instantly accelerate engineering reviews to take full advantage of the site’s most valuable asset: its enviable 18.2-meter natural draft channel.

This deep draft is specifically designed to welcome modern, heavy-set New Panamax vessels that currently bypass Nigeria for neighboring West African ports. Synchronizing the port master plan with immediate capital dredging schedules is paramount.

Third, and perhaps most critical, the landward logistics network cannot be ignored. A deep seaport is only as efficient as its evacuation corridors.

The Akwa Ibom State Government must move with speed to dualize the access road networks and map out future rail connections to link the port directly into the national commercial grid, preventing the nightmarish gridlocks that have crippled the Lagos ports for generation.

Without rapid, transparent, and aggressive operational tracking on these fronts, this new presidential directive will stall. The federal signatures have dried, and the political speeches are over.

If the NPA and the Akwa Ibom leadership drag their feet in the coming months, this mobilization order will simply slip back into the archives of historical disappointments.

The boardroom politics are settled; it is time for the engineers to take over the coastline.

Ibrahim Nasir, a public affairs analyst, writes from Abuja

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SON joins NESS technical committee, set to boost non-oil exports

Gloria Odion,Maritme reporter

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has secured a place on the Technical Committee of the Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme (NESS), a development expected to strengthen export quality assurance, improve regulatory coordination and enhance the competitiveness of Nigerian products in international markets.

SON, in a statement issued by its management, said its approval as a member of the committee was a significant recognition of its statutory responsibility for ensuring the quality, safety and conformity of products manufactured in Nigeria, particularly those destined for export markets.

The organisation said its inclusion would strengthen the integration of export conformity assessment into Nigeria’s trade framework, while facilitating the incorporation of its Export Certificate Programme (SONEXCAP) into the National Single Window (NSW).

According to the agency, the development would also promote closer collaboration among government institutions responsible for export supervision, reduce regulatory bottlenecks and improve the efficiency of export certification processes.

SON described the development as more than institutional recognition, noting that it would help position Nigerian products to compete more effectively in the global marketplace, strengthen international confidence in Made-in-Nigeria goods and support the Federal Government’s drive to diversify the economy through non-oil exports.

The organisation maintained that credible standards, product certification and conformity assessment were critical to overcoming barriers to international trade and ensuring that Nigerian exporters meet the technical and quality requirements of destination markets.

Our correspondent reports that the Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme was established under the Pre-shipment Inspection of Exports Act of 1996 to provide a framework for the inspection and supervision of goods exported from Nigeria.

Under the scheme, export goods are subjected to inspection by government-appointed inspection agents before shipment to ensure compliance with applicable requirements.

The scheme’s scope was subsequently expanded in 2007 to cover additional export products, reinforcing the government’s regulatory framework for monitoring the quality and standards of goods leaving the country.

SON’s entry into the NESS Technical Committee is therefore expected to strengthen the technical dimension of export supervision by bringing the country’s standards and conformity assessment regulator more directly into the decision-making process.

The development also comes against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s efforts to expand non-oil exports, improve trade facilitation and leverage the National Single Window as a platform for streamlining import and export documentation.

With SON’s participation, stakeholders expect improved alignment between product certification, export inspection and other regulatory procedures, potentially reducing duplication and making the export process more predictable for Nigerian businesses.

The effective integration of SONEXCAP into the National Single Window is also expected to improve transparency, facilitate information exchange among relevant agencies and ease exporters’ access to certification services.

For Nigeria’s non-oil export ambitions to translate into sustainable foreign exchange earnings and stronger economic diversification, stakeholders have consistently emphasised the need for internationally recognised standards, efficient regulatory institutions and a seamless export clearance process.

SON’s inclusion in the NESS Technical Committee is expected to contribute to these objectives by strengthening quality assurance at the export stage and improving the credibility of Nigerian products in international markets.