Ten Things on the Record is the essential guide for people who live, work or do business in Lagos. Sign up for free here.

Quick look

• Lawmakers summon election officials
• Students record poor WASSCE turnout
• Ijora bridge to be shut
• Omi-Bus excites commuters on Apapa-CMS route
• Things to do and verified jobs

Key developments

Update on local council election

DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY: The House of Assembly has summoned top officials of the state’s independent electoral commission, LASIEC, the Guardian reported. The lawmakers are demanding clarity over the conduct of the upcoming local council elections. According to some lawmakers, the guidelines released by LASIEC do adequately address the public’s concerns.

POOR RELATIONS: The lawmakers are not the ones asking questions. After LASIEC released details of the elections earlier this month, the umbrella-body of all 19 registered political parties in Lagos, IPAC, immediately faulted the process. According to IPAC, LASIEC had not properly engaged with political parties in the release of the guidelines.

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS: At Thursday’s plenary, lawmakers said the guidelines did not clarify whether the election would use the BVAS accreditation system or a manual method of accreditation. They also raised concerns over the hiring of ad-hoc staff and poor voter education. “They must come and explain how they spent taxpayers’ money,” the lawmaker representing Alimosho constituency 2, Hon. Kehinde Joseph, said.

POLITICAL DUES: The ruling party, APC, said chairmanship aspirants in the upcoming local elections, which are scheduled for July 12, must pay a ₦5m nomination fee and ₦500,000 administrative fee, Punch newspaper reported. Female aspirants are expected to pay a reduced ₦2.5m nomination fee.

LOYAL MENTEE: The Vice Chairman of Agege local government, Mr. Oluwagbenga Abiola, withdrew from the chairmanship. Mr. Abiola said he stepped down for Abdulganiyu Obasa, the son of Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.

Around Lagos and beyond

MAJOR CONCERN: The commissioner for basic and secondary education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, said over half of the students sponsored by the state government to sit for the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination failed. According to Vanguard newspaper, the government spent over 1.5 billion to cover the examination fees.

NEW NUMBER PLATES: The state’s number plate production authority, LSNPPA, is set to roll out special number plates for people living with disabilities, the News Agency of Nigeria reported.

SAFE ROADS CAMPAIGN: A youth-led initiative to tackle phone use while driving is set to kick off on April 29 at Allen Avenue, BusinessDay reported. The campaign is backed by several government agencies, including the state’s traffic management authority, LASTMA.

BRIDGE CLOSURE: The federal government said it would fully close Ijora bridge starting on April 27 for major repairs, Vanguard newspaper reported. Officials said the bridge, which connects Ijora Causeway to Apapa, needs urgent replacement of defective bearings.

RENT RELIEF PUSH: The state government has urged real estate professionals to stop collecting “illegal” fees such as caution fee, inspection and finder’s fee to help ease the cost of housing, Leadership newspaper reported.

Big story

Omi-Bus breathes new life into Apapa-CMS water route

This week, we report on how the newly launched Omi-Bus ferry is transforming water transportation for commuters between CMS and Apapa.

For commuters between CMS and Apapa, the question is no longer “boat or bus?” It’s now: “which boat?”

With Lagos State’s rollout of the sleek new Omi-Bus ferries to complement the older, iron-bench boats, residents like Jackson Igoche are finding fresh ways to escape traffic and choose comfort over chaos.

For Igoche, a Lagos-based real estate agent who lives in Apapa and works in Ikoyi, commuting by road is not an option he often considers.

“When there’s no traffic, it takes about 25 minutes,” he told Ikeja Record. “But that’s rare. I take the boat instead, it’s seven to ten minutes and far less stressful.”

Igoche has relied on the CMS–Apapa water route for four years, using the ferry services to avoid the gridlock that defines much of Lagos traffic. The fare, he says, is not only cheaper than road transport but also more predictable. Another regular commuter, Michael Mgbede, echoed this same sentiment.

“The boat fare is ₦700. If I take a bus from CMS to Apapa, I’ll spend around ₦1,200 to ₦1,300, So anytime I need to go to Apapa, I use the boat,” he said. 

Introducing the Omi-Bus

Lagos isn’t new to traffic hell. On April 2, a nine-hour gridlock shut down Ozumba Mbadiwe and parts of Ikoyi after the federal government shut down Independence Bridge for repairs. It was chaos. But for those relying on water routes, the pain may have been limited..

A trip from CMS to Apapa by boat takes about ten minutes. The same trip, by road, could last up to 35 minutes on a bad day.

Until recently, most boats on the CMS–Apapa route operated by Texas Connection Ferries and other private companies were basic:long metal benches, no frills, and room for 15 to 30 people. Most times, you will find hawkers peddling herbal drinks with the cure to all illnesses on board.

But in March 2025, the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) introduced a more refined option: the Omi-Bus. 

The full story is published on our website.

Top recommendations

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD: For GreenPeace, Fayefunmi Oluwanifemi documented how Lagos is drowning in plastic and e-waste.

LOCAL ADVENTURE: YouTuber Davidsbeenhere visited markets in Lagos Island and Epe. 

GLOBAL WARMING: The Associated Press shared a video of The Herds moving through Makoko on their way to the Arctic Circle. The Herds is a moving theatre performance made up of cardboard puppet animals that flee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the Arctic Circle in a bid to bring attention to the climate crisis.

What to do this weekend

• Hertitude, an annual gathering of women from different backgrounds, in Victoria Island, on Saturday, between 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM, tickets starting from ₦17,949.
• Don’t drop the mic, a blend of live music, improv, DJ sets, interactive games, at Bature Brewery, on Saturday, between 4:00 PM – 11:30 PM, tickets starting from free.
• WITH CHUDE LIVE, first ever live edition of the With Chude interview series, at the Palms Mall in Oniru, on Sunday, tickets starting from ₦20,000.

Pick of the jobs

• M-Kopa, Telesales Representative-Outbound, Salary: ₦220,000 + commission, Experience: At least 2+ years.
• IFC, Investment Officer, Salary: Unknown, Experience: 6-8 years of experience
• Geoinfotech, Business Development Representative, Salary: Unknown, Experience: 4-5 years of experience.

33,000

The number of additional doctors Lagos needs to meet the healthcare needs of its residents, according to Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, Daily Trust reported.

Photo of the week

The Lagos Fanti Carnival returned last Sunday. According to Governor Sanwo-Olu, the carnival dates back to the 1800s and was inspired by “Afro-Brazilian returnees who brought not only samba beats and intricate costumes but also architectural artistry.”

Coming up

• 3 May: ChessMasters tournament at Eko Hotels & Suites.

What’s new on Ikeja Record?

• We asked the Ikeja Record community members if they would board a CNG commercial mini bus or not.
• We produced a video warning Lagosians to use the pedestrian bridge in Ojota instead of crossing the highway.
• Our in-house food connoisseur, Imanuela, tried out Naija Breakfast in Egbeda.