In the past decades, Nigeria’s inland waterways have been plagued by a troubling rise in accidents, resulting in the loss of lives and millions in goods. The frequent mishaps sparked national concern over the safety of water transport leading to the Federal Government’s appointment of Bola Oyebamiji as Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA). ADAKU ONYENUCHEYA, in this report, looks at the operations of NIWA in the last one year.
Over the years, transportation of humans and goods on the nation’s inland waterways has faced challenges with frequent accidents as there were no clear rules for monitoring, regulating and enforcing laws to ensure safety.
According to data by the Marine Crafts Builders Association of Nigeria (MCBAN) released early this year, Nigeria recorded 3,130 incidents of boat mishaps on its waters in the last 10 years.
Also, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Nigeria investigative committee on boat accidents on Nigeria’s coastal and inland waterways, revealed that over 300 lives were lost to different boat accidents across the country in 2023.
This, however, raised concerns on the safety of water transportation as efforts to address the issue proved futile with frequent recurring accidents leading to deaths and loss of millions in goods, discouraging investments and revenue generation.
Several factors both natural and human errors were identified as the cause of this accident, which included, recklessness of boat captains, alcohol consumption by drivers, overloading, shunning of life jackets by passengers, high tides, wrecks and use of rickety vessels not seaworthy among others.
Burdened by the trend, President Bola Tinubu appointed Bola Oyebamiji as the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) on October 25, 2023, and mandated the implementation of policies and programmes to resolve the challenge.
Tinubu warned that excuses and non-performance of assigned duties and responsibilities will lead to removal from office. Oyebamiji took over an agency long plagued by safety concerns and infrastructural decay. However, one year later, the once turbulent waterways are becoming safer, with notable strides made in the realm of regulation, surveillance and emergency preparedness.
The Federal Government’s concern about the persistent mishaps on the nation’s inland waterways was answered with the introduction of the Inland Waterways Transportation Regulations 2023, referred to as the Waterways Transportation Code.
Inland Waterways Transportation Code: A Game-Changer
At the core of NIWA’s new approach to safety is the Waterways Transportation Code, designed to standardise operations, minimise accidents and create a more structured environment for potential investors.
Oyebamiji’s administration expedited the gazetting of this code within six months, a process that had previously languished for years. With an intricate set of penalties for violations, NIWA aims to enforce strict adherence to rules that govern the use of the country’s vast waterways network.
These rules are part of an effort to protect lives, safeguard property as well as preserve the waterways’ environment and infrastructure from potential hazards linked to maritime violations.
Detailed breakdown of offences and penalties
The Code imposes stiff penalties for violations such as discharging hazardous waste into waterways, this attracts penalties of up to N20,000 for individuals and N200,000 for vessels and corporate bodies, along with responsibility for any incurred inspection and repair costs.
Vessels that are insufficiently manned will incur fines depending on their size. For vessels less than 15 gross registered tonnage (GRT), fines begin at N5,000 per person, while larger vessels face steeper penalties, with fines of up to N50,000 for vessels over 50 GRT. Additionally, failing to equip vessels with proper life-saving appliances attracts N10,000 fine for ensuring that human lives are adequately protected at sea.
Overloading remains a prevalent issue in Nigeria’s water transport system, which poses a serious safety risk. NIWA is tackling this with stiff fines, where vessels up to 50 GRT incur N20,000 penalty, and vessels over 50 GRT face N50,000 charge.
Moreover, the use of underage boat masters, a potentially dangerous practice, results in N10,000 fine with the possibility of withdrawal of operational permits upon repeated offences.
Carrying dangerous objects that could pose a risk to vessels or persons on the waterways attracts a N50,000 fine. Failure by the boat master or crew member to remain at the site of an accident until a competent authority is notified results in N50,000 fine. Additionally, breaches in vigilance or navigational practice attract another N50,000 penalty, emphasising the importance of professional behavior on the waterways.
Violations go beyond just the physical vessel and extend to damages caused to the infrastructure that supports Nigeria’s inland waterway systems. Offences such as tampering with waterways signs, damaging permanent structures, and even failing to produce valid documents on board, carry various penalties, which range from N5,000 to N20,000.
The rules even govern the signals used by vessels. From lights and boards to flags, any breach of the required marking or signaling procedures leads to fines, most starting from N10,000, while violations in crossing, overtaking, or other traffic rules for navigating narrow channels attract fines as high as N50,000.
Meanwhile, serious navigational offences, such as failures related to visibility, radar navigation, and obstruction in weirs and locks, also attract fines in the range of N100,000.
One of the key areas addressed by NIWA is the proper identification of vessels as failure to display the required identification marks carries a fine of N5,000 for small vessels and N10, 000 for others.
The penalties escalate for more specialised vessels as motorised vessels proceeding alone without proper marking incur N20,000 fine, while a side-by-side formation underway faces N25,000 fine.
For vessels involved in sensitive transport operations, the penalties are even more significant. Floating establishments and assemblies that are underway but improperly marked can be fined up to N50,000.
Stationary vessels involved in the transport of dangerous substances face N35,000 penalty for improper marking, while violations for nets or poles on stationary vessels attract a fine of N10,000.
At the upper end of the fine-scale, floating equipment at work that fails to display the correct markings can be fined a steep N100,000, while unauthorised entry of spaces between vessels in a convoy incurs N50,000 fine, and violations involving overtaking or trailing anchors and cables also carry significant financial penalties ranging from N20,000 to N35,000.
Crossing violations, departures from normal rules, and meeting boats towed from the bank all come with fines of N50,000, and vessel operators are held responsible for any additional costs related to inspection and repair of any damage caused.
The impact of maritime operations on the environment remains a top concern as convoy-related violations and excessive wash or suction that may cause damage to the surrounding environment attract fines of N50,000 and N20,000 respectively among other offenses and penalties.
According to the code, any person convicted for an offence under these regulations shall, in addition to any penalty as may be imposed, be liable to pay any expenses incurred in the inspection and repair of any damage caused by such offence.
These penalties reflected the authority’s intention to preserve Nigeria’s inland water ecosystems and ensure that maritime operators take responsibility for their vessels, the safety of their passengers and the preservation of the waterway environment.
Revitalisation and investment in safety
In a significant move, Oyebamiji commissioned 15 new boats of varying capacities aimed at improving surveillance, safety enforcement and emergency response.
This new fleet includes three surveillance boats, five safety enforcement vessels, a gun patrol boat and a 62-seater passenger boat to replace traditional wooden canoes.
Additionally, three water ambulances and two hydrographic survey boats equipped with multi-beam echo sounders were deployed to improve navigational safety.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, during the boat commissioning event, said these initiatives fulfill the ministry’s commitment to ensuring the inland waterways are well-utilised for both cargo shipment and passenger transportation.
Oyetola said the newly commissioned vessels will help monitor waterways and ensure that regulations, such as those outlined in the Waterways Transportation Code, are strictly enforced to maximise the comparative advantages of the nation’s maritime resources in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope
Agenda.
Reducing accidents with a zero-tolerance policy
From the outset of his tenure, Oyebamiji introduced a Performance Management System (PMS) to hold NIWA’s management team accountable. This system replaced the traditional Annual Performance Evaluation Report (APER), placing a stronger emphasis on measurable outcomes.
At a management retreat held shortly after his appointment, he warned the management and staff against compromising their duties and responsibilities.
Oyebamiji said while some staff are to design policy directions, others have been picked to drive the policies.This shift toward a performance-based system has brought tangible results as NIWA staff signed performance bonds at the retreat, ensuring they meet set targets.
Safety measures to safeguard inland waterways
In his quest to make the waterways safer, Oyebamiji launched aggressive safety campaigns targeting boat operators, passengers, and stakeholders. This includes deploying 80 water marshals to monitor critical loading and unloading points nationwide to enforce the new code.
The emphasis on safety is further underscored by mandatory regulations such as life jackets, limiting operational hours from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and ensuring that boat masters are fit for duty before setting sail.
Also, boats found in violation of these rules face arrest, prosecution and fines. This initiative, as mentioned by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy in Lokoja, is to reduce the rate of accidents on the waterways by always enforcing the transportation code.
Similarly, the Oyebamiji-led management team has made safety campaigns a priority across the country. In a new wave of media campaigns, NIWA has commenced aggressive safety campaigns across all loading points through its area offices using the local languages. This is in addition to the ongoing safety campaigns in the media across the country.
Investment and expansion drive
Oyebamiji’s leadership has also prioritised investment in Nigeria’s inland waterways to drive economic growth. NIWA, under his guidance, has been engaging private investors to explore Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), particularly in Onitsha, Warri, and Port Harcourt, to unlock the economic potential of the Blue Economy.
Speaking during the tour, Oyebamiji called for deeper private sector participation in the blue economy initiative to harness greater benefits for national development.
Oyebamiji noted that these efforts, aimed at enhancing infrastructure, have been met with optimism from stakeholders looking to expand Nigeria’s navigable waterways from 3,000 kilometres to 5,000 kilometres.
The agency boss tasked the staff to live up to expectations by working harder in revenue generation that could open rooms to better their welfare, warning the staff against indolence and laxity.
Prospect for growth
Oyebamiji’s leadership has also laid the foundation for long-term growth in the maritime sector, charging Area Managers to increase the number of navigable waterways that the country currently has from 3,000 kilometres to 5,000km of navigable inland waterways.
The agency plans to license 2,200 boats yearly in Lagos, train 1,500 skippers by 2024 ending and dredge an additional 2,000 kilometres of waterways to meet the target of 5,000 kilometres for navigation.
The NIWA boss stated that Lagos State being the hub of inland waterways activities in the country had already seen the deployment of five patrol boats to monitor activities on the state waterways.
“Nigeria has about 10,000km of waterways in this country, but anytime you search via Google, you would always find out that only 3,000km are navigable. I have given the Area Managers a target of increasing navigable waterways to 5,000km.”
“On the issue of wrecks, I gave each Area Managers numbers of wrecks to remove. Lagos, being our busiest area, got a target of five wrecks to remove yearly. Again, on boat operations. Also, another target I gave the Area Managers was tied to the number of jetties that NIWA has. I asked them to give me the number of jetties that they want to add to what they already have.
“In the next four years, we need to know the number of jetties that we will want to build so that by 2027, we would have said that these numbers of jetties were built during this period. This will let everybody have a sense of direction and know what they are expected to do,” Oyebamiji added.
There are still challenges to surmount
Despite the improvements recorded, the waterways still face challenges, which was seen with the boat accident that occurred on September 14, where over 40 people in an overloaded wooden boat were feared dead.
The boat ferrying 53 farmers beyond its capacity to their farms across the Gummi River in Zamfara State capsized with only 12 rescued. The Chairman, Miners Association of Nigeria, Imo Chapter, Ugochukwu Onyenwenwa, commended the implementation of the transport code, urging boat operators to abide by the safety regulations and avoid being overconfident in their expertise.
Onyenwenwa called for more safety training and the provision of life jackets to operators, passengers, fishermen and farmers, especially women. A community leader and boat operator, Ijeoma Okereafor, commended NIWA for the safety sensitisation and awareness campaign. Okereafor, however, appealed to the authorities to assist them with superior life jackets and appealed for an extension of the hours of operation.
“The life jackets we have do not have whistles and the time they are scheduled for operation is too short because many farmers and traders return home as late as 8:00p.m,” he said.
A water transport user, Fidelis Okoh, said NIWA’s extensive set of regulations may seem daunting to vessel operators, but they are essential for safeguarding the nation’s waterways.
He commended the Oyebamiji leadership for ensuring safe and navigable waterways for both passenger boats and cargo vessels, noting that the enforcement and implementation of fines are designed to enforce compliance and deter reckless behaviours.
Okoh said as Nigeria’s inland waterway system continues to develop, adhering to these regulations is key to ensuring safe, efficient, and sustainable operations.
He said for vessel operators, staying informed and compliant with NIWA’s safety code is not just a matter of avoiding fines as it is a matter of protecting lives, property and the environment.
