NIWA Moves to Curb Boat Mishaps, Bans Illegal Loading Points Nationwide

By Amina Ojelabi

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has announced sweeping safety measures to curb the rising spate of boat accidents across the country, including an immediate ban on all unauthorised loading points.

Speaking at a special press conference on Tuesday, in Abuja, the Managing Director of NIWA, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, outlined steps taken by the Authority to enhance safety and reduce fatalities on the nation’s waterways.

According to him, since the inauguration of the current management in October 2023, NIWA has achieved significant milestones, including the gazetting of the Water Transportation Code, deployment of 350 water marshals, introduction of passenger manifests at registered jetties, and establishment of search and rescue stations that have improved emergency response time to less than 30 minutes.

Oyebamiji also highlighted NIWA’s community outreach, with over 300 riverine communities reached through grassroots safety campaigns in 2025 alone. On the technical front, the Authority has installed navigational buoys, conducted hydrographic surveys covering over 600 kilometers of waterways, and continued to remove wrecks and other impediments from channels.

Commending the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Gboyega Oyetola, for distributing more than 45,000 standard lifejackets across 12 states, Oyebamiji disclosed that accidents on inland waterways have dropped by over 70% in the past year.

He, however, stressed the need for stronger enforcement mechanisms, calling on the National Assembly to establish Coastal Guards for inland waterways to consolidate gains.

For immediate enforcement, NIWA announced: Ban on all unauthorised loading points nationwide ; Mandatory use of lifejackets on all passenger boats; Compulsory display of boat names and load lines ; Removal of all unlicensed boats and operators from waterways; Collaboration with riverine states on campaigns, training, and provision of modern ferries.
“With these measures, we are determined to make our waterways safer and accident-free,” the NIWA boss assured.