Headlines

NIWA unfolds multi-prong approach to curb boat mishaps on Nigeria’s waterways

—vows to enforce water transportation code

Funso OLOJO

The present leadership of the National Inland Waterways Authority(NIWA), led by its Managing Director, Bola Oyebamiji, has unfolded a radical approach to curbing the incidence of waterways accidents in Nigeria.

In an interactive session in Lagos between the agency’s top echelon and the Media on Friday, October 25th, 2024, Oyebamiji outlined comprehensive short–, medium–, and long-term measures to halt accidents on Nigeria’s waterways.

Apparently saddened by the affordable boat mishaps which happened in Gbajigbo, Niger state and Imore, Lagos state respectively where innocent lives were lost due to human error of non – compliance with the safety rules, Oyebamiji said the enforcement of the recently gazetted water transportation code will be the starting point of the radical reforms on Nigeria’ waterways.

According to him, most of the accidents were human errors caused by flagrant disregard for safety rules and guidelines such as the ban on night travel, wearing of safety jackets and other elementary safety measures.

According to him, strict compliance with the water transportation code will be enforced and offenders will be brought to book.

In addition, a robust sensitization programme to the grassroots, using traditional rulers and state commissioners of transportation as veritable vehicles to disseminate safety campaigns to the locals has commenced.

Furthermore, deployment of water Marshals to the Waterways jetties nationwide on 24-hour operation has also commenced.

“The twin issues of safety and insecurity on the inland waterways always overshadow every gain recorded by NIWA whenever it happens.

“To confront this headlong, we have reconsidered our safety campaign approach to focus more on the grassroots using community resources.

“Within one year, NIWA has carried out more grassroots safety campaigns than at any other time within the same period.

“Also, we have deployed water marshals across different loading and offloading points in the country.

“It may interest you to know that within three months of its launch, we have increased the number of our water marshals from 80 to 350 personnel.

“Recently, these officers were directed to commence 24-hour surveillance within selected locations to arrest the ugly incident of night travel and overloading.

“Ladies and gentlemen, just yesterday(Thursday, October 24th, 2024) in Abuja, we gathered the critical stakeholders in a meeting for several hours to evaluate the current challenges on inland waterways transportation and find possible solutions.

“The meeting which had in attendance the Honourable Commissioners of Transportation from more than 24 states, among other groups, highlighted several important measures that must be taken to arrest the twin issues of safety and insecurity on the inland waterways.

“Of note, is the need to increase the level of awareness and campaign within the sector” Oyebamiji declared.

The NIWA MD also disclosed the readiness of the agency to collaborate with both local and other international partners, including sister agencies, in its campaign to foster safe and secured waterways travels on Nigeria’s waters.

As a result, the agency has strong and robust collaboration with the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency(NIMASA) and the Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA) on the issue of removal of water hyacinths and shipwrecks on the waterways.

Oyebamiji also disclosed the readiness of NIWA to outsource the removal of water hyacinths in other to free government funds from such a venture.

On the international collaboration, Oyebamiji revealed that the agency through the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has opened a discussion with the Ministry of Transportation of Spain for the purpose of importing Spanish technology to monitor Nigeria’s waterways.

To further deepen the safety measures on the waterways, the NIWA boss said the agency will prevail on the Presidency through the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to abolish the use of wooden boats which are more prone to accidents.

He however said the measure will be in phases.

From the comprehensive measures NIWA management enunciated to tackle boat mishaps and with the burning passion which its Managing Director, Bola Oyebamiji, spoke about his intention to take a radical approach to the enforcement of safety rules and guidelines, it is obvious that the worrisome incidents of mishaps on Nigeria’s waterways would soon be a thing of the past under the present leadership of the agency.

Headlines

NIMASA, MARAN renew partnership for enhanced mutual performance

-as MARAN condoles with agency over death of staff

Gloria Odion, maritime reporter

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) have renewed their commitment to sustaining their age- long partnership for enhanced mutual performance that will drive the blue economy.

This commitment was made on Monday, June 1st, 2026, during the visit of the new executive council of MARAN to the NIMASA headquarters on Victoria Island.

During the visit, led by the President of MARAN, Oluyinka Onigbinde, different areas of collaboration to improve the partnership were explored between the two parties and pledges were made for improvement.

However, the agency called on maritime journalists to uphold ethical journalism, embrace constructive reporting, and partner with stakeholders in promoting Nigeria’s growing blue economy.

Speaking on behalf of NIMASA, the Deputy Director, Public Relations of the agency , Mr. Osagie Edward, said the call became necessary in order to position the maritime industry in Nigeria in a better stead in international community.

He believed that ethical reporting will promote the vast maritime potential in the country which will attract foreign investors to develop the industry.

The visit, which was the first official engagement between the new MARAN leadership and NIMASA, also served as a platform to discuss areas of collaboration, particularly capacity building for maritime journalists, information dissemination, and support for the Federal Government’s blue economy agenda.

Earlier in his remarks, the President of MARAN , Onigbinde, conveyed the association’s condolences to NIMASA over the death of one of its staff members, Ifenyinwa, who reportedly passed away over the weekend.

The MARAN President expressed sympathy with the management and staff of the Agency and prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul, while asking God to grant her family and colleagues the strength to bear the loss.

He noted that the purpose of the visit was to further strengthen the cordial relationship that has existed between MARAN and NIMASA over the years, while seeking deeper collaboration in advancing the maritime sector through responsible and informed journalism.

According to him, there was a need for more structured capacity development programmes for maritime journalists to enhance their understanding of issues in the industry and improve the quality of reportage within the sector.

Responding, Osagie Edward congratulated the newly-elected executives on their emergence, describing their election as a reflection of the confidence reposed in them by members of the association.

Edward acknowledged the longstanding relationship between MARAN and NIMASA, noting that the association has remained a key stakeholder in the growth and development of the maritime industry for more than two decades.

“We have known MARAN for over 20 years, from the days when press releases were physically distributed to the present digital era.

“You are now leading a digital MARAN and I encourage you to build on the achievements of your predecessors,” he admonished.

He assured the association of NIMASA’s readiness to continue collaborating with maritime journalists for the advancement of the industry and the country’s economy.

According to him, the media occupies a strategic position in projecting the vast opportunities available within Nigeria’s blue economy and attracting the investments needed to unlock its full potential.

“The Nigerian blue economy presents enormous opportunities. If the sector is properly projected and branded, the world will become more aware of the potentials we have and investors will come seeking opportunities. This will ultimately benefit the country,” Edward said.

He further disclosed that the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, is leading a team committed to positioning Nigeria as a leading maritime nation globally.

“As a maritime administration, the DG believes Nigeria should be a global leader in maritime administration, and we are working towards that objective.

” We can only achieve it by working together in the interest of the country,” he added.

On MARAN’s request for increased training opportunities, Osagie assured the association that capacity development remains a priority for NIMASA.

“Capacity building is very dear to NIMASA management. We have noted your request and discussions are already ongoing regarding training opportunities for the media.

“We will continue to engage because informed and constructive reporting is beneficial to the industry,” he stated.

Also speaking, Assistant Director, Public Relations, Daniel Kajo, urged members of MARAN to remain committed to the ethics of journalism and continue to promote professionalism in their reportage.

Kajo emphasized the importance of constructive criticism and balanced reporting, noting that the media remains an indispensable partner in the development of the maritime sector.

He encouraged maritime journalists to continue holding institutions accountable while ensuring that their reports are factual, objective, and geared towards national development.

Headlines

Comrade Muktar Yakubu pleads for patience over ongoing review of staff salary at Nigerian Shippers’ Council

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter

The President of the Senior Staff Association of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Comrade Muktar Yakubu, has asked the staff of the Council to be patient with the management over the delay in adjustment of their salary, revealing that the process is ongoing and awaiting the approval of the appropriate authority.

The labour leader make this clarification following the apparent agitation of staff over the delayed adjustment in their salaries and emoluments.

It would be recalled that the Executive Secretary of the NSC, Pius Akutah, during the 2026 strategic management retreat of the council held in Abeokuta, Ogun state between March,4th – 7th, 2026, had revealed plans by the management to push for the salary review of staff.

However, Comrade Muktar Yakubu said the process had already begun, praising the commitment of Pius Akutah- led management in this regard.

He however clarified that the ongoing salary review within the Council is still undergoing official government processes and has not yet been approved for implementation.

Speaking on the development, Yakubu explained that the exercise is strictly guided by established public service procedures, stressing that salary reviews in federal agencies require multiple layers of approval before they can take effect.

Explaining the procedure, the labour leader said the Nigerian Shippers’ Council initiated the process through the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, which serves as its supervising ministry.

Comrade Yakubu noted that once the ministry gave its approval, the proposal was forwarded to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) for further statutory consideration, in collaboration with the Budget Office of the Federation and other relevant authorities.

He emphasized that while the proposal has already reached the NSIWC and necessary clarifications were provided when requested, final approval is still being awaited.

Yakubu stressed that no implementation can commence until the Commission gives its formal consent.

He also clarified that ministry’s approval does not translate into immediate salary adjustments, adding that the NSIWC remains the final authority responsible for approving remuneration structures in federal agencies.

Speaking further on the role of management, Yakubu commended the Executive Secretary of the Council for initiating the process and supporting the establishment of a salary committee tasked with reviewing the Council’s financial position and developing a new salary framework.

He noted that the committee’s recommendations were approved internally before being forwarded through the appropriate channels.

Addressing concerns about staff welfare, the union leader said it would be inaccurate to describe the workforce as generally dissatisfied, noting that while individual concerns exist, the Council continues to make efforts within its available resources to improve staff conditions.

He added that staff welfare remains a priority for the union, but must be considered within the financial realities and operational capacity of the organisation, stressing that comparisons with other agencies should take into account differences in budgetary allocations and mandates.

Yakubu further stated that management has already implemented several welfare initiatives and continues to demonstrate commitment to improving staff conditions where possible.

He urged staff to remain patient, reiterating that the salary review process is progressing through due process and that final approval from the NSIWC is the last stage before implementation can begin.

He expressed optimism that once the process is concluded, staff would begin to benefit from the new salary structure alongside other ongoing welfare improvements within the Council.

Analyses

The Anchor of Dependency: Rethinking Nigeria’s Port Financing Strategy

Monday Discourse with Ibrahim Nasiru

The recent Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) conference in Lagos concluded with a dizzying array of multi-billion-dollar infrastructure promises.

Amidst the boardroom handshakes and official communiques, a familiar theme emerged: West Africa requires tens of billions of dollars to build the “Ports of the Future.”

For Nigeria, a nation grappling with aging brownfield infrastructure and the pressure to fully optimize its deep seaports, the question of infrastructure is no longer about what to build, but how to pay for it.

For decades, Nigeria’s approach to Port development has been tethered to a traditional anchor of dependency, an over-reliance on foreign loans, lopsided concession frameworks, and external development contracts.

If the nation is to truly unlock the economic sovereignty promised by the Blue Economy, it must critically re-evaluate its Port financing strategy, shifting away from debt-heavy models toward aggressive domestic capital mobilization and genuine structural reforms that address how we handle our internal maritime revenues.

Historically, major Port expansions in Sub-Saharan Africa have followed a predictable financial script.

A sovereign state secures a massive bilateral loan, frequently from foreign development banks, backed by state guarantees or the projected revenues of the Port asset itself.

On the surface, this model delivers immediate gratification: shiny new gantry cranes, dredged channels, and modern breakwaters.

Below the surface, however, this architecture creates a cycle of financial vulnerability.

When Port assets are financed through rigid, foreign-denominated debt, the pressure to service that debt often overrides the Port’s primary economic mandate, which is to lower the cost of doing business.

High debt-servicing costs force Port authorities to maintain punitive tariff structures, expensive regulatory charges, and inflated berthing fees.

Consequently, while the infrastructure appears world-class, the Port becomes economically uncompetitive, driving shipping lines to cheaper regional alternatives and defeating the purpose of the initial investment.

To break this loop, Nigeria must confront a glaring fiscal paradox sitting right inside its balance sheet: the architecture of the Nigerian Ports Authority’s (NPA) internal revenue framework.

As revealed in recent National Assembly budget defenses under Managing Director Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, the NPA is projecting a staggering ₦1.489 trillion in internally generated revenue (IGR) for the 2026 fiscal year, hot on the heels of generating nearly ₦2 trillion in 2025.

The agency is a financial powerhouse, generating enormous wealth from ship dues, cargo fees, and concession tariffs.

Yet, because of rigid fiscal remittance laws, a massive chunk of this liquidity is swallowed directly by the federation’s Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) and swept straight into the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

The NPA is effectively treated as a cash cow to finance federal budget deficits rather than being allowed to legally retain and reinvest its own earnings back into the infrastructure that generates them.

Forcing an agency to remit massive sums to the federal treasury while simultaneously asking it to borrow foreign capital or beg for funding via the Central Bank just to dredge a channel or rebuild a collapsing berth is an unsustainable contradiction.

True financial independence requires a sweeping legislative rethink of the Fiscal Responsibility Act to allow the NPA to establish a dedicated, ring-fenced infrastructure retention fund.

If the agency could legally retain just 20 to 30 percent more of its trillions in actual collections specifically for a Port Modernization Sinking Fund, it could fully self-finance the urgently needed overhauls of the 100-year-old Apapa Port and the decaying infrastructure at Tin Can Island without adding a single dollar of foreign debt to Nigeria’s sovereign balance sheet.

Furthermore, this internal liquidity could be used as equity to issue local currency maritime infrastructure bonds on the domestic capital market, allowing Nigerian pension funds to invest in an asset class that generates predictable, long-term, inflation-hedged cash flows.

Ultimately, breaking the anchor of dependency requires moving past the illusion that a nation must always look outward or borrow its way to maritime dominance.

True Port efficiency cannot coexist with a system that starves its primary trade gateway of operational liquidity in the name of national revenue extraction.

As Nigeria positions itself to capture the trade volumes of a developing continent, its leadership must realize that financial engineering is just as critical as civil engineering.

We must design financing models that allow the maritime sector to feed itself first before feeding the national treasury.

Until we cut the chains of debt-heavy external financing and reform our internal revenue retention laws, our Ports will not function as engines of economic liberation, but rather as highly sophisticated toll gates filtering both national wealth and foreign debt back to external creditors.

Chief Ibrahim Nasiru, a public affairs analyst, writes from Abuja