The Niger State Ministry of Transportation has commended the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, the Ministry and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) for donating 3,700 life jackets to the state, noting that nine passengers involved in a recent boat mishap were rescued because they were wearing life jackets.
Recall that Oyetola distributed 3,500 life jackets to waterways users in Niger State on 29th April 2025, while officially flagging off the distribution of 42,000 life jackets to waterway users across 12 selected riverine states in the country. The initiative was aimed at curbing the alarming rate of boat mishaps and fatalities in the country’s riverine areas.
Citing the rising incidence of mishaps due to human error, poor equipment, and non-compliance with safety measures, the Minister called the trend a national emergency and underscored the urgent need for collective action. He also highlighted the government’s introduction of the Inland Waterways Transportation Regulations, 2023 — also known as the Waterways Transportation Code — aimed at standardizing operations, enforcing compliance, and creating a more structured environment for investment and safety.
However, speaking on Monday during a visit by journalists investigating the causes of boat accidents in Nigeria, the Commissioner for Transport, Hajia Hadiza Idris Kuta, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Lucky Barau, said the life jackets donated by Oyetola had been distributed to boat operators across the 17 local government areas in the state with water transport links.
She said the recent incident in which all nine passengers survived demonstrated the effectiveness of life jackets in improving safety on Niger State’s waterways.
Idris Kuta acknowledged the role of the Managing Director of NIWA, Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji, in enhancing inland waterways regulation, adding that the Ministry maintains a cooperative relationship with the Authority to promote safety.
The Commissioner stated that the state government has provided eight fibre boats to riverine communities to replace wooden boats and is preparing to deploy safety marshals to enforce life jacket use and prevent overloading at jetties. She said that contracts had been awarded to supplement the Federal Government’s contribution, and plans were underway to acquire water ambulances.
According to her, passengers who refuse to wear life jackets are currently not allowed to board boats, as part of efforts to reduce fatalities on the state’s inland waterways. She added that overloading is prohibited on the fibre boats provided to the communities.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.