The Federal Government has approved the procurement of modern boats and ferries worth ₦14.6 billion as part of renewed efforts to drastically reduce boat mishaps across Nigeria’s inland waterways.
The initiative is aimed at replacing wooden and dilapidated watercraft, which authorities have identified as a major contributor to recurring accidents in riverine communities.
This was disclosed on Thursday, January 29, 2026, by the immediate past Managing Director of the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Osun State, Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji, while addressing a coalition of maritime journalists at his campaign office, Ilerioluwa House, Oshogbo.
Oyebamiji revealed that the boats and ferries, already procured by the Federal Government, are expected to arrive in the country within the next few months and will be distributed to riverine states most affected by waterway accidents.
According to him, the procurement followed recommendations he made to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, during his tenure as NIWA Managing Director.
“The Federal Government paid about ₦14.6 billion to import very good, very big boats that can safely convey people and agricultural produce on our inland waterways,” Oyebamiji said.
He explained that priority beneficiaries would include Niger, Kogi, Benue, Kwara and Kebbi states, noting that states such as Lagos, Rivers and Cross River were excluded due to their stronger capacity to invest independently in modern water transport infrastructure.
“Lagos has enough capacity, Rivers can do it, Cross River can do it. But states like Niger, Kogi, Benue, Kwara and Kebbi need this intervention,” he added.
Oyebamiji stated that 20–25 per cent of waterway mishaps are linked to the use of substandard boats, while human factors account for nearly 70 per cent of accidents.
Reflecting on his tenure at NIWA, he described the agency as moribund when he assumed office, plagued by poor staff morale and frequent boat accidents.
“When I came in, NIWA was not as visible as NPA or NIMASA. Boat mishaps were what the agency was known for,” he recalled.
He said a comprehensive SWOT analysis of the agency guided reforms that prioritised staff motivation and institutional support, with backing from the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
According to him, the same workforce that presided over NIWA’s decline later drove its turnaround through targeted programmes and projects that significantly reduced waterway accidents nationwide.
Oyebamiji also commended the media for its role in amplifying safety advocacy and public awareness on inland water transport.
It will be recalled that Minister Adegboyega Oyetola has repeatedly urged riverine communities and state governments to abandon wooden boats and invest in modern watercraft as a sustainable solution to waterway carnage.
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