The E1 Series CEO and the Lagos State Government, alongside sponsors, hosted a press briefing to announce the world’s first all-electric powerboat racing series, where over 250 sports personalities from across the globe will gather around the Lagos Lagoon for Africa’s first-ever UIM E1 World Championship starting from October 4–5, 2025.

Lagos now stands alongside Monaco, Venice, and Jeddah as a host for the world’s only all-electric powerboat championship. This landmark event is not only a major step forward for the sport but also propels Lagos onto the global stage as a leader in sustainability.

Speaking to journalists at the Black Diamond Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer of E1 Series and also a space engineer, Mr. Rodi Basso, said that there will be two days of race competition on the waters of Lagos.

“We are the only world electric world championship. Our competition features a male and female pilot racing to become the champions of the world. We are going to be here around the Black Diamond hotel, bringing our pilots, and they will compete with the other teams. We are in season 2 only, and the interest we had about our championship across the continent made us increase the number of races. This is a great achievement.”

Describing the achievement as “a major milestone for sport, sustainability, and commerce in Africa,” Basso spoke about the evolving nature of the boating industry. “The ocean is one of nature’s most challenging environments, yet the boating industry is changing. To overcome existing challenges, organizations must redesign and innovate in ways unseen before. The E1 Series showcases technical prowess and proves boats can become more sustainable by leveraging alternative power and unique architecture,” he stated.

“Basso highlighted the championship’s high-profile ownership, naming global icons like Didier Drogba and Will Smith among the team owners. He confirmed that all nine teams would compete in Lagos and assured attendees that the technology-driven sport would be sustained through a lasting partnership with the Lagos State Government.”

“We bring a sport that is based on purpose, a sport that is showing the solution about the water mobility of the future in an exciting sporting format, and much more in terms of events around our race, so I suggest following up. He advised Nigerians to follow up and register to show up around the shore; you will have a lot of access. We race near the shores, so there is a lot of excitement when it comes to the fans and not the opposite.”

Lagos State’s Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, said, “E1 is a race of electric boats on our waterways. Sustainability is about changing dynamics, and I am really excited. We have adopted the aquatic culture of being on the waterways. It’s about changing our means of transportation. Now I can boldly say Lagos is the tourism capital of Africa. We are the ones who lead when it comes to entertainment and tourism.”

“Together we are gathered here, we are excited. Something great is happening on our shores and waterways. Next year, we are going to be on the map for something global again. From here, the E1 series is going to Miami; I can boldly say E1 was in Miami, and they were also in Lagos.”

She urged local fishermen, artisans, traders, and the hospitality industry to seize the economic opportunities the event will bring.

During the press conference, the Commissioner for Transportation, Lagos State, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said the E1 all-electric powerboat racing series is more about sustainability and the opening of Lagos waterways. “We have lots of water; we have not even tapped half of our resources. We want to encourage people to get on our waterways.”

Furthermore, the honorable commissioner said the Lagos State Government is introducing a new project called “Omi Eko,” where we would be bringing about 72 electric boats that will be plying the waterways. “This initiative will transform Lagos waterways into a modern, eco-friendly transportation system and, of course, help reduce the traffic congestion on the road.”

Sam Egube, Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, also emphasized the event’s role as a global showcase for Lagos’s culture, energy, and economic potential. He stated that beyond the sport, the championship aligns with Governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration’s commitment to sustainable energy and innovation in marine transport.