LASWA Completes Africa’s First Ferry Safety Programme, Trains 50 Professionals
Korede Abdullah 
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has completed the third module of Africa’s first Ferry Safety Development and Mentoring Programme, training 50 ferry professionals in emergency preparedness, safety management and incident response as part of efforts to improve safety standards across Nigeria’s inland waterways.
The programme, organised in partnership with Interferry, is designed to build a new generation of highly skilled ferry operators capable of improving passenger safety and reducing accidents on African waterways.
LASWA General Manager, Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, described the milestone as another major step towards developing a professional and safety-conscious maritime workforce.
“This module equipped 50 emerging ferry professionals with critical knowledge and practical skills in ferry safety, emergency preparedness and incident response. It reinforces our commitment to developing a highly skilled workforce for Africa’s growing ferry industry,” he said.
According to Emmanuel, the month-long programme combined virtual classroom sessions with intensive practical exercises to expose participants to international ferry safety standards.
The academic component was facilitated by Dr. Bolaji Dunsin and Dr. Ayaobu-Cookey of the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research, while participants also engaged in an expert session led by Darren Johnston, Vice President of Marine Operations at BC Ferries, who shared global best practices on ferry operations and passenger safety.
The practical component, held on July 29 at the Prime Atlantic Safety Services (PASS) training facility in Ogun State, exposed participants to real-life emergency procedures including abandon-ship drills, man-overboard rescue operations and first-aid response.
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