Boat Crashes: Foundation Seeks Overhaul Of Inland Waterways Law

The Elohim Foundation has called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s inland waterways governance, warning that outdated laws, weak enforcement systems and poor safety structures are contributing to the rise in boat accidents across the country.

Speaking at a national roundtable on inland water transport and safety reform, the foundation’s chief executive officer, Dr. Julius Ibecheole, said a comparative review of the NIWA Act 1997 and the 2023 Inland Waterways Transport Code revealed major structural and regulatory gaps that no longer meet modern safety standards.

He said both documents “suffer from weak safety-centric legislative framing, outdated penalties, lack of independent accident investigation systems, absence of mandatory insurance, poor data-driven accountability, weak rural enforcement, and inadequate professional certification systems.”

“These deficiencies collectively contribute to persistent and increasing inland water transport accidents in Nigeria,” he said.

Ibecheole explained that the Foundation’s analysis was based on research conducted between 2014 and 2025, covering the most recent amendments to the NIWA Act.

He added that while the Act establishes regulatory authority and the Code outlines operational rules, both instruments still fall short of global best practice.

He commended the Lagos State Government for its approach to operator support and infrastructure development, noting that Lagos has built standard jetties across the state and grouped boat operators into cooperatives through which government-provided boats are distributed.

“In many states, passengers still wade into water to board boats because there are no jetties. Lagos shows what is possible when states invest deliberately,” he said, adding that a single engine for a commercial boat costs about ₦32 million, making entry into the sector extremely expensive without government support.

While acknowledging ongoing disputes between the federal government and states over control of inland waterways, Dr. Ibecheole stressed that the Foundation’s concern is safety, not jurisdiction.