Oyetola Advocates Tech, PPPs To Boost NIWA’s Revenue

The minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, has urged the management of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to harness technology and public-private partnerships to boost operational efficiency and ensure financial sustainability.

Oyetola made the call at a retreat themed “The Art and Practice of System Integrity in Public Institutions,” organised by NIWA in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Monday.

According to a statement by the director of Press at the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Anastasia Ogbonna, the minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Fatima Mahmood, identified key areas requiring improvement, including revenue generation, transparency and accountability.

The statement underscored the importance of system integrity in public institutions, noting that it remains critical to promoting ethical leadership, strengthening governance structures and enhancing revenue performance.

Oyetola stressed that system integrity is essential to NIWA’s success, enabling the authority to effectively discharge its mandate and make meaningful contributions to Nigeria’s Blue Economy agenda.

“System integrity is not a moral luxury; it is an economic necessity,” Oyetola stated, calling on NIWA’s Board and Management to prioritize financial sustainability and drive innovation in revenue generation.

Futhermore, the Minister observed that the partnership with ICPC aligns with the Federal Government’s preventive approach to combating corruption, adding that ethical leadership and transparent revenue systems are critical to harnessing the full economic potential of Nigeria’s inland waterways.

Earlier, the Acting Managing, NIWA, Umar Girei, said the retreat aims to strengthen NIWA’s systems and processes, promoting a culture of transparency, accountability, and performance-driven leadership.

The acting managing director, emphasized the Authority’s commitment to institutional reforms, effective revenue generation, and zero tolerance for corrupt practices.

Also speaking, the Chairman, ICPC, Dr Musa Aliyu (SAN) reaffirmed its organisation readiness to support public institutions through preventive mechanisms, capacity building, and integrity-driven initiatives.