The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has intensified safety awareness campaigns across Lagos waterways as part of efforts to eliminate boat accidents and strengthen compliance with safety regulations among water transport users.
The Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Engr. Sarat Braimah, disclosed this during a courtesy visit by members of the 2026 Dockworkers’ Day Committee of the Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN) in Lagos.
Braimah said the renewed safety drive aligns with the directive of the Acting Managing Director of NIWA, Alhaji Yusuf Girei, who has prioritised the safety of waterways users nationwide.
According to her, the authority has been directed to embark on aggressive sensitisation campaigns to ensure passengers, boat operators and other stakeholders strictly comply with safety measures aimed at preventing boat mishaps.
She said: “Safety is the key focus of the Acting Managing Director of NIWA, Alhaji Yusuf Girei. He wants all waterways users to remain safe. We have been directed to intensify awareness campaigns this month to ensure that no boat mishap is recorded, and that remains our target.”
Braimah noted that sustained public awareness campaigns by NIWA have significantly improved safety consciousness among commuters and operators on Lagos waterways.
She explained that passengers now actively report safety violations, particularly cases involving failure to wear life jackets.
“People are now more aware. You see passengers calling NIWA to report that someone sitting beside them is not wearing a life jacket. Our sensitisation programmes have gone a long way,” she stated.
The Area Manager added that regular inspections conducted by NIWA’s Marine Department have also enhanced operational safety on the waterways.
“Every quarter, the Marine Department inspects boats, so it is rare to find boats operating on the waterways that are not in good condition,” she said.
Braimah further revealed that the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, in collaboration with NIWA, is working towards gradually phasing out wooden boats to modernise water transportation and improve safety standards.
She, however, acknowledged that the transition would be gradual to avoid disrupting the livelihoods of operators who depend on wooden boats for their businesses.
“The ministry wants us to phase out wooden boats. We are working towards that, but it cannot happen overnight. We have to meet operators halfway, and that is what we are doing,” she explained.
She also disclosed that government plans to invest in safer boats through current budgetary provisions would support the gradual replacement process.
Speaking on revenue generation, Braimah said NIWA has consistently surpassed its revenue targets, noting that the authority had doubled the revenue it generated three years ago.
“We are consistently meeting and surpassing our revenue targets. In fact, three years ago, we doubled the revenue generated in the previous period.”
