NIWA Deploys Officers To Enforce Life Jacket Use On Niger Waterways

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has deployed personnel to waterfronts across Niger State to enforce compulsory life jacket use and ensure compliance with inland waterways safety regulations.

The Area Manager of NIWA’s Minna office, Akapo Adeboye, disclosed this during the 2026 Sensitisation and Enlightenment Campaign on Inland Waterways Regulations held at Zumba Waterfront in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.

The campaign, themed “Total Safety Measures and Compliance on the Nation’s Inland Waterways,” was organised to educate boat operators and passengers on the importance of adhering to safety regulations.

Adeboye said the authority had distributed 3,500 life jackets to boat operators at various waterfronts across the state. However, he expressed concern that some operators failed to use the equipment or provide it for passengers during journeys.

He also condemned the practice of charging passengers extra fees for using life jackets, noting that such charges discouraged compliance with safety requirements.

According to him, the safety of lives and property remains a priority for the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, stressing that all boat operators and passengers must wear life jackets before boarding.

He warned that anyone found violating the regulations would face the full weight of the law.

Meanwhile, some boat operators raised concerns over the inadequate supply and high cost of life jackets, saying the situation made it difficult to comply fully with the regulations.

One of the operators, Adamu Gunduma, said his boat could accommodate 300 passengers, but he had only seven life jackets, including one reserved for himself. He explained that the remaining six were distributed to passengers on a first-come, first-served basis.

Similarly, Saidu Sani, who operates a boat with a capacity of 40 passengers, said he had no life jackets for himself or his passengers.

Another operator, Adamu Tanko, disclosed that although his boat could carry 150 passengers, he had only three life jackets available.

Abubakar Mamman-Kwanu, another operator, appealed to the government and other stakeholders to provide additional life jackets through donations and other support initiatives.

The operators also complained that life jackets cost about N20,000 each in the market, urging authorities to reduce the price to between N5,000 and N6,000 to make the equipment more affordable.

They noted that the high cost of life jackets, coupled with declining prices of agricultural produce, could prevent many farmers from purchasing the equipment.

The operators explained that farmers constituted a significant proportion of water transport users in the area and would be particularly affected by the rising cost.

They therefore called for increased government intervention and measures to reduce market prices, stressing that improved access to life jackets would encourage compliance with safety regulations and help prevent avoidable deaths on the waterways.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported the development on Monday.