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Resurgence of boat mishaps unsettles NIWA as Oyebamiji unfolds new measures to tackle waterways accidents 

Gloria Odion 
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has unfolded though measures aimed at curbing the resurgence of boat mishaps on the nation’s waterways.
The resurgence of waterways accidents, especially the fatality recently recorded in boat mishap in Niger State, has made NIWA to tighten safety measures on the waterways.
Addressing newsmen on Tuesday, September 9th, 2025 in Abuja, the Managing Director of NIWA, Bola Oyebamiji, announced immediate ban  on all loading activities from unauthorised points across the country, insisting that only recognised and registered jetties may be used.
He also mandated all commercial operators to provide lifejackets for passengers, while every boat must clearly display its name and load line.
 Oyebamiji gave a directive that all unlicensed boats and watercraft  be removed from the waterways, while unlicensed drivers and operators are prohibited from carrying out any operations.
The Authority also called on riverine states to partner with NIWA in safety campaigns, training of operators, procurement and distribution of lifejackets, provision of landing platforms and deployment of modern ferries.
Oyebamiji reiterated his call for the establishment of Coast guards for inland waterways, describing it as an essential enforcement tool that would significantly strengthen NIWA’s safety drive.
The NIWA boss thereafter launched into past measures taken by the Authority to reduce boat mishaps on the waterways.
He noted that since the appointment of the current management in October 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, NIWA has implemented a number of far-reaching reforms and initiatives aimed at reducing accidents on the waterways.
He recalled that within the first six months of the administration, the long-awaited Water Transportation Code was gazetted and launched to regulate operators, passengers, and users of the waterways.
 Within the same period, Oyebamiji further disclosed,the Authority also inaugurated 15 new operational assets, including patrol boats, water ambulances, survey boats and passenger ferries, while also commissioning new facilities such as the NIWA Clinic and administrative building at its headquarters in Lokoja to improve efficiency.
To enforce compliance, he recalled that the Authority deployed Water Marshals, which have now increased from 80 personnel at inception to 350 across the country.
“Passenger safety has been enhanced through the introduction of a manifest system at recognised jetties to improve record-keeping, while Water Marshals also ensure that the “No Lifejacket, No Boarding” regulation is strictly enforced.
“In addition, the reactivation of Search and Rescue Stations has reduced NIWA’s emergency response time to less than 30 minutes.
“The Authority has also taken its safety awareness campaigns directly to loading points and jetties, reaching more than 300 communities in 2025 alone.
“These grassroots engagements are complemented by periodic campaigns in local languages on radio, television, newspapers and digital platforms.
On the technical side, Mr. Oyebamiji explained that NIWA has intensified channel maintenance for safer navigation.
Marine navigational buoys have been installed on the Lower and Upper Niger, while hydrographic surveys and profiling have been completed from Warri to Baro Port, covering 624 kilometres.
He said the Authority has continued to remove aquatic waste, logs and wrecks from waterways to further enhance navigability, while collaboration with sub national governments has also been strengthened.
He also recalled that in October 2024, NIWA convened a stakeholders’ meeting with state transportation commissioners and other maritime stakeholders in Abuja to deliberate on measures to eliminate boat accidents.
“That meeting produced a communique outlining responsibilities for both federal and state governments.
 According to the Managing Director, some states have already started acting on these commitments by providing ferries and lifejackets to their citizens, with Niger State standing out as a prime example.
Mr. Oyebamiji commended the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for his unwavering support.
“In the last four months alone, the Ministry has helped NIWA distribute over 45,000 standard lifejackets across twelve states, while also leading state-level safety campaigns in Niger and Bayelsa.
Looking ahead, NIWA intends to deepen collaboration with the Marine Police and the Nigerian Navy, especially in enforcing the ban on overloading, night sailing between 6 pm and 6 am, and compulsory use of lifejackets.
Oyebamiji disclosed that NIWA’s initiatives have already reduced accidents and deaths on the waterways by more than 70 percent compared to previous years, but stressed that more can still be done.
He described the safety of Nigerians on the waterways as a national duty requiring the collective efforts of all stakeholders.
 “Based on the innovations and renewed commitment to our mandates, we have reduced waterway accidents and deaths by more than 70 percent.
“But we must do more. Establishing Coastal Guards and deepening collaboration with states and security agencies will help us achieve an accident-free waterway system,” he said.
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Analyses

The invisible toll gates:Why National Single Window is Nigeria’s ultimate economic battleground

Monday Discourse with  Ibrahim Nasiru
Walk into any market in Nigeria today, from the commercial hubs of Lagos to the roadside stalls in Yola, and ask why a bag of rice or an imported spare part costs three times what it did last year.
The typical public commentator will blame global inflation, floating currencies, or macro-economic shocks.
But those who understand logistics know the real truth lies buried under layers of paper, manual stamps, and artificial delays at our seaports.
Nigeria’s international trade is suffocating not from a lack of deep water, but from a deliberate design of convenience.
The recent operational rollout of the National Single Window (NSW) has triggered behind-the-scenes panic among Port cartels, and for good reason.
For decades, keeping our clearing processes fragmented, manual, and dependent on desk-to-desk human interaction was the perfect business model for syndicates.
When cargo dwell times drag on for 21 days, those delays are money in the pockets of the gatekeepers and a death sentence for local businesses.
Let us look at the raw field realities. The push by the Nigeria Customs Service to aggressively crash clearance times down to global 48-hour standards is meeting fierce internal resistance.
Why? Because a unified digital ecosystem means you cannot easily manipulate documentation, hide illicit cargo, or demand “mobilization fees” before signing off a container.
The outcry and protests from certain freight-forwarding syndicates aren’t about technical glitches; they are about the sudden closure of invisible toll gates.
This is exactly why governance at our national gateways can no longer be left to the mercy of transactional bureaucratic habits.
Building deep-sea infrastructure like Lekki Port is a massive physical achievement, but concrete and cranes are useless if the administrative processes at the gate remain backward.
 Real structural reform requires turning our Ports into automated, friction-free pipelines that prioritize production over rent-seeking.
If Nigeria wants to survive this fiscal squeeze, the National Single Window cannot just be treated as another glossy IT project launched in Abuja.
 It requires unyielding administrative enforcement to completely dismantle the corrupt cartels managing the manual desk chains.
The invisible toll gates at our Ports must be completely demolished, and that exact same structural discipline must be scaled across our border stations and trade corridors.
The era of managing international trade with 20th-century paper trails is dying. The future belongs to the builders of automated, transparent systems.
Chief Ibrahim Nasiru, a public affairs analyst,  writes from Abuja 
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Headlines

NANTA Exco embarks on seven-day Ghana retreat, fam trip to deepen regional tourism partnership

Gloria Odion, Reporter

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) has commenced a seven-day executive retreat and familiarisation (fam) trip to Ghana, hosted by Safari World, as part of efforts to strengthen regional tourism partnerships and expand cross-border travel opportunities.

The NANTA delegation was received at Safari World Homes in Accra by the Chairman of the Safari World Group, Mr. Ernest Gyekye, who expressed delight at hosting the Nigerian travel trade leaders.

He assured the delegation of a memorable experience throughout their week-long stay.

Speaking on the significance of the visit, NANTA President, Mr. Yinka Folami, described the retreat and familiarisation tour as a strategic initiative aimed at fostering stronger business relationships and promoting collaborative tourism development across Africa.

“This mission is not a leisure trip,” Folami said. “It is a deliberate step to implement and expand our association’s marketing advocacy for Nigerian brands across borders.”

He noted that Nigeria and Ghana share deep historical, cultural and commercial ties that should be leveraged to drive tourism growth on the continent.

“Nigeria and Ghana share history, culture, trade and people. The future of our tourism cannot be built in silos,” he said.

“This retreat is about moving from policy to practice—creating real products, real partnerships and real movement of travellers between Accra and Lagos.”

As part of the programme, the NANTA executives will engage in strategic business-to-business (B2B) meetings with their Ghanaian counterparts, tour key tourism destinations under the Safari World brand, and participate in cultural exchange activities designed to promote stronger bilateral tourism cooperation.

The itinerary spans Safari World’s three flagship destinations, including Safari Homes in Accra, the Aqua Safari riverfront experience, Safari Island Cruise, Safari Nautica, and Safari Recreation and Sports facilities in Ada, as well as the Safari Valley Eco Resort and Safari Eco Park in Dawu.

Operating under the brand promise, “One World, Three Destinations, Over 20 Unique Experiences,” Safari World is leveraging the visit to strengthen its footprint in the Nigerian travel market while positioning Ghana as a premier destination for leisure tourism, conferences, group travel, family holidays and premium tourism experiences.

A major highlight of the visit will be the Executive Dinner scheduled for July 21 at the Safari Valley Eco Resort, where key stakeholders from Nigeria and Ghana’s tourism industries will deliberate on strategies for deepening travel trade and advancing regional tourism development.

The familiarisation tour is expected to provide NANTA’s leadership with first-hand knowledge of Safari World’s tourism offerings, paving the way for the development of attractive travel packages and stronger business partnerships that will benefit Nigerian travellers and the wider West African tourism industry.

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Customs

Ogun Customs spurns claims of Smugglers’ takeover of Idiroko–Sango Ota trading Route

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has dismissed as false reports alleging that smugglers had taken over the Idiroko–Sango Ota trading route in Ogun State, describing the claims as a deliberate misrepresentation of a traffic incident.
In a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs (SC) Chado, the Command clarified that the traffic gridlock on the route resulted from the breakdown of an articulated commercial trailer after it fell into a badly deteriorated section of Atan Road, temporarily obstructing the free flow of traffic.
According to the Command, the vehicles caught in the ensuing congestion were legitimate commercial trucks transporting red palm oil to various local markets and had no connection whatsoever with smuggling activities.
It explained that the large number of heavy-duty trucks trapped in the gridlock may have led some members of the public to wrongly conclude that smugglers had taken over the road.
“The reports that smugglers blocked the road are inaccurate. The disruption resulted from a road accident and poor road conditions. The vehicles involved were lawful commercial vehicles transporting red palm oil for legitimate trade,” Chado stated.
The Command urged journalists, social media users and the general public to verify information before disseminating reports capable of creating unnecessary panic or undermining public confidence in security agencies.
Observers within the border trade sector noted that the allegation does not reflect the prevailing security situation within the Ogun I Area Command, where anti-smuggling operations have been intensified under the leadership of the Acting Customs Area Controller, Comptroller O.O. Afeni.
Since assuming office, Comptroller Afeni has strengthened intelligence-driven surveillance, enhanced collaboration with other security agencies and host communities, and sustained pressure on economic saboteurs operating along the Ogun border corridors.
These measures, according to stakeholders, have resulted in significant seizures of prohibited goods and reinforced the Command’s resolve to safeguard Nigeria’s economy and territorial integrity.
Maritime and border trade stakeholders also cautioned against the spread of unverified information capable of undermining the efforts of security personnel or creating a false impression of lawlessness in border communities.
They stressed that while combating smuggling remains an ongoing responsibility, responsible and accurate reporting is equally critical to ensuring that operational achievements are not overshadowed by misinformation.
The Ogun I Area Command reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining its anti-smuggling campaign while facilitating legitimate cross-border trade in line with the statutory mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service.

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