The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has urged maritime operators and stakeholders to prioritise safety measures and regulatory compliance, ensuring that waterways remain secure for transport and commerce.

NSIB, in its latest report, investigated over 10 maritime incidents in 2025, covering major mishaps across the nation’s waterways, as the agency continues to push for stricter stakeholder compliance with safety regulations.

The Bureau, formerly known as the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), was restructured under the 2022 Establishment Act into a multimodal accident investigation agency covering air, marine, rail, pipeline, and land transport sectors.

Unlike regulatory bodies such as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), the NSIB is expected to conduct independent, non-punitive safety investigations to determine the causes of accidents and make recommendations to prevent future occurrences.

A Marine Safety Investigator in charge of Maritime Investigations of the NSIB, Captain Stan Igwe (rtd) stated that the Bureau has investigated between eight and 10 maritime incidents this year.

According to him, some of the notable cases include incidents at Minna in Niger state, Ocholonya in Benue State, Kogi, Bida, Sokoto and other states. He noted that NSIB investigated the Benue State’s Agatu LGA boat mishap, where an overloaded canoe carrying traders returning from Ocholonya market capsized on the River Benue, leading to the deaths of over 20 people and rescuing about 50.

Igwe said that while some were missing, this highlighted serious issues with overloading and poor safety on local waterways. Igwe also stated that a significant boat mishap occurred in Kogi State in late September/early October 2025 in the Ibaji Local Government Area on the River Niger, where an overloaded boat carrying around 80 passengers capsized.

He said this led to multiple deaths, with over 30 confirmed and dozens rescued or missing. Igwe highlighted issues like overloading and a lack of life jackets, prompting government action and appeals for support and calls for stricter safety enforcement.

The Marine Safety Investigator emphasised that although NSIB has released preliminary and interim reports for several of these cases online on its official website, the bureau is still compiling comprehensive statistics, which are expected to be available by March 2026.

Igwe further emphasised the importance of regulatory compliance among maritime stakeholders, particularly in light of the River Code issued by the NIWA.