FG bans unlicensed boats, loading points nationwide
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has ordered a nationwide clampdown on unlicensed boats and unauthorised loading points, following a spate of deadly accidents on Nigeria’s waterways.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, NIWA Managing Director, Bola Oyebamiji, said the ban takes immediate effect, warning that no commercial passenger boat will be allowed to load from unapproved points.
He also directed that all unlicensed boats be removed from circulation, while operators without proper certification will no longer be permitted to operate.
Oyebamiji added that boat owners must enforce the mandatory use of lifejackets and ensure vessels display names and load lines clearly.
The directive follows a series of recent tragedies, including the drowning of 27 people in September after a boat capsized on the Kainji Reservoir in Niger State, 15 deaths on the Shiroro River in July, and multiple fatalities in Sokoto and Lapai earlier this year.
