The federal government, through the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), is planning to phase out wooden boats on Nigeria’s inland waterways.
Bola Oyebamiji, the Managing Director of NIWA, shared this information during a meeting with editors in Lagos. He explained that wooden boats make up over 90% of the boats used on these waterways and are responsible for most of the accidents.
He pointed out that many wooden boat operators do not follow safety rules, such as traveling at night, overloading their boats, and not using life jackets. Oyebamiji mentioned that traveling at night is illegal since many boats lack proper lighting. Additionally, he noted that many of the boat operators have minimal education, which affects safety.
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To improve safety in the short term, NIWA has increased its number of safety marshals from 80 to 350 across the country. Now, at least two marshals are present at jetties daily, working morning and night shifts to monitor activities.
NIWA is also running a campaign at jetties and through the media to educate both boat operators and passengers about the dangers of night travel, overloading boats, and the importance of using life jackets. This campaign is delivered in English and local languages to better reach communities.
In the long run, NIWA aims to completely eliminate wooden boats and is coordinating with the Presidency and the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to find replacements for these boats.
Additionally, NIWA plans to use more patrol boats to monitor compliance with safety regulations, with help from the Nigerian Navy. Oyebamiji emphasized that safety is also a personal responsibility, noting that people’s behavior plays a significant role in preventing accidents.
He stated that NIWA would continue to promote education and impose penalties when necessary to achieve zero fatalities on the waterways and urged all stakeholders to follow the rules.
