Nigeria transportation and waterway development

Efforts to address transportation congestion and infrastructure decay in Nigeria have increasingly focused on the development of inland waterways. George Moghalu, Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), proposed functional water transport as a primary solution to mitigate port congestion and reduce pressure on national road infrastructure, noting that roads are not designed for the heavy pressure of bulk cargo.

In Lagos, the state government has moved toward implementing these strategies to combat traffic gridlock in the Apapa port corridors, the Lekki-Epe axis, and the Lekki Free Trade Zone. Authorities have pledged to intensify enforcement against the indiscriminate parking of articulated trucks on major roads.

To provide alternatives to road travel, the Lagos State Government has commenced the €410 million Omi-Eko project. Supported by a pre-feasibility study from the Agence Française de Développement, this initiative aims to develop an integrated inland waterways system, including ferry terminals and navigation infrastructure, to improve connectivity for waterfront communities.