The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has announced a sweeping ban on all loading activities at unauthorized points nationwide in a bid to curb recurring boat accidents and improve safety across Nigeria’s inland waterways.
Managing Director of NIWA, Bola Oyebamiji, disclosed the directive during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, stressing that no commercial passenger boat would henceforth be allowed to load from unregistered or illegal locations.
“NIWA has placed an immediate ban on loading activities from all unauthorized loading points across the country. No commercial passenger boat shall be allowed to load from any point other than those recognised and registered by NIWA,” Oyebamiji declared.
As part of the measures, he emphasized that:
- All commercial boat operators must provide and enforce the use of lifejackets at all times.
- Every passenger boat must visibly display its Boat Name Letters and Load Line.
- All unlicensed boats and watercraft will be removed from waterways.
- Unlicensed boat drivers and operators are strictly prohibited from operating.
The announcement follows a troubling rise in fatal boat mishaps across the country.
In August, more than 40 passengers were declared missing after a boat accident in Sokoto, while a year earlier, at least 16 farmers died when a canoe capsized in the same state. Experts have often linked such tragedies to poor regulation, weak enforcement, and non-compliance with safety standards.
With the new rules, NIWA says it is determined to save lives, restore order, and make the country’s waterways safer for passengers and operators.
#NIWA #BoatAccidents #NigeriaWaterways #BreakingNews #PassengerSafety #WaterTransport #NaijaNews
