percent in 2014, the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has revealed, symbolising growth for the sector that has struggled with safety concerns and low patronage. Lagos is Africa’s most populous city (over 20 million residents) and with the highest density; these coupled with its inadequate transport network has caused most of its roads to be plagued by traffic jams.

As an Island, the waterways present an effective alternative to the often clogged roads of Lagos, but boat mishaps in the recent past dented the sector’s role in easing the roads congestions. However, that is gradually changing; according to Yinka Marinho, MD of the LASWA, the agency’s campaign for obedience to safety regulations is having a positive effect with patronage now nearing 2 million per month.

While the number of commuters stood at 1.7 million in January 2014, by December it had hit 1.9 million, LASWA stats revealed. For Marinho, the result is clear; the more commuters obey the law regulating waterways transport, the less accident will occur. “The life jacket is meant to save lives when an accident occurs but Lagosians do not like wearing the life saving vest,” national daily Vanguard quoted him saying. “We will continue to enforce the use of life vest until the message we are trying to pass sinks in.”

Despite the obvious sector growth and increasing patronage, water travel in Lagos still lags in infrastructure, with terminals and jetties in need of upgrade. The standard of the boats are also not at par with what is obtained internationally,even though industry members insist that those used in shuttle services are of acceptable quality. The lag in quality of boats is widely blamed on the cost of acquiring the best machines in the market which means most in the industry resort to what is available locally.