In what many have described as a game changer in the history of inland waterways in Nigeria, Caverton Marine, a proudly Nigerian company recently broke a jinx when it commenced the official demonstration of its pioneering electric vessel, the Electric Omibus. Gboyega Alaka, who was there, reports.
He future berths in Lagos
Olabode Makanjuola’s joy and sense of accomplishment was visible and infectious, as he welcomed a select group of journalists, government officials and maritime enthusiasts, Monday, and fielded questions at the Caverton heliport, Victoria Island exquisite lobby. And you could hardly blame him. As the Chief Executive Officer of Caverton Marine, it was an occasion to showcase the company’s latest accomplishment – the first ever electric passenger ferry on Lagos waters.
It was a result of a 13-month extensive work and travelling by his carefully assembled team. The Electric OMIBUS is a passenger ferry designed to operate entirely on electric propulsion, eliminating carbon emissions and significantly reducing operational noise and maintenance costs, as against the traditional diesel-powered ferries.
The Integrated Electric Propulsion of electric ferries were built for local waters. The prototype combines a Caverton-built FRP passenger hull with a modern electric propulsion package supplied by Explomar. The new ferry works with dual electric motors which provide strong acceleration and high-speed performance, powered by a modular lithium battery pack with a robust BMS and inverter system.
Why Electric ferry?
Electric ferry operations meaningfully change the economics of water transport. While electric systems require higher upfront investment, they eliminate fuel consumption, reduce mechanical maintenance, and improve operational reliability by removing engines, exhaust systems, and gearboxes. These design changes also reduce the risk of onboard fire and fuel-related hazards. Early modelling also shows potential for major reductions in annual operating expenditure and a substantial cut in carbon emissions when compared with petrol ferries. These outcomes align directly with Lagos State’s goals for safer mobility, climate resilience, and long-term cost savings.
Caverton executed all integration and systems routing locally to ensure ease of maintenance and reliable scaling. The configuration reflects real Lagos route patterns – short-to-medium distances with predictable charging windows – making this platform ideal for metropolitan water transport.
Historic step toward sustainability
With the unveiling of the Omibus, the country’s first locally produced electric ferry, Caverton Marine has taken a historic step towards sustainable transportation in Nigeria. In collaboration with the Lagos State Government, Caverton Marine developed the boats in partnership with ExploMar (Suzhou) Energy Technology Co. Ltd, a company which produces high-power electric outboard systems in China following the signing of a strategic partnership in August 2024.
Makanjuola said, “It’s the demo week for the Omibus Electric Ferry, the first of its kind in Africa. We are particularly very proud because this is a Nigerian initiative with support from our friends from China. This is a Nigerian project, and it’s something that Nigerians should be proud of. The Omibus journey started about six years ago, basically in trying to address the challenges of water transportation in Lagos State, and generally see how we can improve the lives of average Lagosians in terms of commuting. We were set to task, and we decided to develop our first-ever 40-passenger electric ferry.
“Upon successful construction of that ferry, we were commissioned by the Lagos State Government to build 25 ferries, of which 15 have already been delivered and are operational right now. Actually, if you look across to the Famolo Ferry Terminal, you’ll see some of those ferries lined up there. Today is not the time for long speeches; we have a nice presentation for you. As a friend said, it’s a case of see, hear, feel. When you go out there, you get to see the Omibus and experience it. You will not hear the sound of the electric engine, which, as far as I’m concerned, is the future of mobility in Nigeria. Electrification is not sustainability; it’s a part of sustainability and something we are very passionate about at Caverton Marine.”
Makanjuola outlined the project’s three-year journey, beginning with Lagos State’s commitment to enhancing water transportation as an alternative to congested road networks. The session was the first in a series of 10 demo sessions through which journalists, marine experts, regulators, investors, among others, will be taken through the Omibus experience.
Part of the takeaways was that the average four hours Lagosians spend commuting a distance of about 80 km by road can be covered in less than 40 minutes by ferries on water.
In his remarks, Professor Busayo Fakinlede, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Marine and Blue Economy commended Caverton Marine for the feat, noting that it underscores the company’s forward-looking credentials. “It is a very big achievement to be able to move from rickety boats plying the waterways into more sustainable and more stable boats, fibre-reinforced plastic electric boats. This is a great leap, and it is the kind of initiative that the Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, His Excellency, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, CON, has always championed in the sector. The ministry will continue to support such laudable systems that will lead to eradicating both mishaps in the country, and also, this is what we talk about when it comes to zero emissions,” he stated.
In line with Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Agenda
Makanjuola added, “We are a marine and aviation logistics company, and I have always been very passionate about water transportation. For the Lagos State Government, it is part of the THEMES Agenda, creating intermodal transportation, and we see water transportation as the final leg or the final piece of the puzzle. It’s a journey that we’ve been on for a long time. In fact, we have been working on it for five or six years. And altogether, we worked with administrations going all the way back to His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu’s administration as Lagos State governor. We have been working to modernise water transportation to make it safe for Lagosians.
“So, when the administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu came and they were pushing this intermodal system with the rail networks, we took it upon ourselves that we needed to actually raise the bar for water transportation and actually now see how we can provide better, safer and more decent water transportation system in Lagos.”
Kunmi Agbaje, the Project Manager, would go on to explain that the scheme was built on “Intentional engineering, which ensures fair distribution of weight for the ferries while prioritising safety, comfort and the environment.”
Low Engine Noise, Environmentally-friendly
“I always start with what I found to be very pleasing about the ferry. The electric ferry comes with low engine noise, which means passengers can actually have phone calls on their way to work. Another advantage is how it eliminates pilfering, which is sometimes the case with some of the local operators. They tell their bosses they are buying 50 litres but only 30 litres, which is not possible with an electric engine. Obviously, there are also issues regarding sustainability, cost savings, which means maintenance for electric cars is way lower over the course of 10 years, compared to petrol. So, you have a ferry with regular speed, suitable for passengers and can cover three hours, ultimately meaning greater safety, faster experience, yet quieter experience.”
Agbaje added that the ferry, a variation to a 30-seater instead of a 40-seater due to the weight, means lighter boats in the end and reached 33 knots from sea trial while the battery weighs 750 kilos.
Jonathan Wang, the Executive Director of Explomar, a Chinese company that builds engines for high performance electric boats, said the engines are built to last and can run for about three hours on one charge. To solve the infrastructure problem of charging, he added that there are different chargers of different specifications, ranging from 7KW to 120KW, with ferries installed with a smart control and monitoring system similar to modern EV dashboards for real-time battery health, route range, and emergency alerts.
