Blue Economy
Nigeria Must Stop Choking Its Highways, Start Using Its Waterways: Coast Guard Boss Oduku
Coast Guard Boss Oduku: Nigeria Must Stop Choking Its Highways, Start Using Its Waterways
By Okeoghene Onoriobe I Waterways News
The Commandant General of Riverine Security, popularly known as the Coast Guard of the Federation, Commander Bibi Oduku, has renewed calls on the Federal Government to urgently prioritise the development, modernisation and security of Nigeria’s waterways, describing the sector as a critical, underused pillar of the country’s transportation, logistics and economic architecture.
Speaking after what he described as close monitoring of developments in riverine communities across the country, Oduku said Nigeria’s continued near-total dependence on road transportation for moving people and goods is placing unsustainable pressure on the nation’s highways, fuelling road accidents, congestion, road deterioration and delays in the movement of goods at a time when the country’s inland waterways remain largely idle.
” Nigeria cannot continue to depend almost entirely on the roads for the movement of people and large volumes of goods when we have an extensive network of waterways capable of supporting a modern transportation and logistics system. We need to begin treating our waterways as strategic national infrastructure,” Oduku said.
He noted that the constant movement of trailers and heavy-duty vehicles between different parts of the country is a major driver of highway congestion and road damage, and that emissions from that volume of heavy traffic add to pollution in densely populated corridors.
A call for a coordinated national strategy
Oduku urged the Federal Ministry of Transportation, the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and other relevant agencies to develop a comprehensive, coordinated national strategy for waterways transportation, one built on modern technology and international best practice.
” Our waterways must be made accessible, navigable, safe and commercially viable. Government should invest in modern jetties, terminals, navigation systems, passenger boats, cargo transportation facilities, marine communication systems, safety infrastructure and effective waterways management,” he said
According to him, such investment would significantly improve the movement of agricultural produce, petroleum products and manufactured goods, while giving businesses and citizens an alternative transportation corridor to the roads.
Jobs, investment and riverine development
Oduku argued that a properly developed marine transportation sector would do more than move goods and passengers, it would create jobs, stimulate business activity, attract domestic and foreign investment, and boost government revenue, with knock-on effects for boat manufacturing and maintenance, marine engineering, logistics, port operations, cargo handling, tourism, fisheries and maritime security services.
Security should not stall development, Oduku says
On the persistent challenges of piracy, militancy and criminality in some maritime and riverine locations, Oduku insisted that security concerns should not be used as an excuse to abandon waterways development.
“We should not be afraid to develop our waterways because of the activities of sea pirates, militants or other criminal elements. Security and infrastructure development must move together,” he said, crediting the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies, marine security outfits and community-based structures for their role in protecting lives and property on the nation’s waters, and calling for deeper inter-agency cooperation.
Niger Delta communities “feel abandoned,” Commandant General says
Oduku also drew attention to the socioeconomic conditions in riverine communities, particularly across the Niger Delta, saying many communities that contribute heavily to Nigeria’s natural-resource economy still lack adequate transportation infrastructure, healthcare, education, potable water and electricity.
“It is unacceptable that communities contributing immensely to the economic strength of Nigeria should continue to feel abandoned. The people in our riverine communities deserve to see meaningful development around them. They deserve quality education, accessible healthcare, transportation infrastructure and other basic necessities of life,” he said.
He disclosed that Riverine Security has repeatedly flagged the educational and healthcare challenges facing these communities to relevant government ministries, expressing particular concern for children, pregnant women, the elderly and other vulnerable residents, and called for interventions that “produce measurable results on the ground” rather than more official promises.
Oduku also appealed to oil and gas companies operating in the Niger Delta to take a more active role in developing their host communities, calling for stronger partnerships between the Federal Government, state governments, oil and gas companies, private investors, maritime operators and host communities.
“The development of our riverine areas should be a collective responsibility. Government and the oil and gas industry must work together to develop infrastructure, improve marine transportation, strengthen security, protect the environment and create sustainable opportunities for the people,” he said.
Call for a National Waterways Transportation Master Plan
Riverine Security is also calling for a comprehensive National Waterways Transportation Master Plan that integrates inland waterways with seaports, road networks and rail transportation, so that waterways complement, rather than trail behind Nigeria’s road and rail systems.
Oduku concluded by urging government and stakeholders to move from policy declarations to implementation.
“Nigeria has the waterways, the human resources and the economic potential. What we need is the political will, investment, modern technology, proper regulation and sustained security to unlock this potential. The time for action is now. Investing in Nigeria’s waterways is investing in safer transportation, economic growth, national security, job creation and the future of our nation,” he said.
Nigeria Watch
Oduku’s intervention lands on ground Waterways News has covered extensively: the gap between Nigeria’s stated ambitions for its inland waterways and the pace of delivery on the water. His call for a National Waterways Transportation Master Plan echoes long-standing frustration among stakeholders that NIWA, NPA and NIMASA continue to operate with overlapping mandates and little visible coordination, a tension this platform has tracked closely through the NIWA-LASWA jurisdictional dispute and its aftermath following the Supreme Court’s ruling on inland waterways regulation.
His remarks on underinvestment also speak directly to the unresolved Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) disbursement saga, which remains the clearest example of policy intent outpacing actual capital reaching operators.
For the informal and small-scale waterway operators represented by cooperatives like WABOTAN and ATBOWATON, associations Oduku says continue to “feel abandoned” — access to modern boats, jetties and safety infrastructure has long depended less on federal master plans than on whether financing commitments already on paper are ever honoured.
The Commandant General’s framing of waterways as a congestion and safety release valve for Nigeria’s highways is not new, but it carries added weight coming from a security voice rather than a transport or maritime economy official. It reinforces a theme Waterways News has returned to repeatedly under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy’s current leadership: that Nigeria’s blue economy ambitions will keep running up against the same wall, infrastructure, financing and inter-agency coordination until implementation, not another master plan, becomes the measure of progress.
$200m Fish Lifeline: FG Taps World Bank Funds to Push States Towards Fish Sufficiency
Oyetola Sets Sights on Net Exporter Status as FG Secures $200m World Bank Backing for State-Led Aquaculture
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News
The Federal Government says it has secured a $200 million commitment from the World Bank Group to drive fisheries and aquaculture production nationwide, as it moves to cut fish imports and close a supply gap of more than 2.2 million tonnes.
The money will be lent to state governments on concessional terms. It is meant to help them expand fish production, attract investment and build viable aquaculture projects.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, announced this at an Executive Training on the Aquaculture Investment Guide, organised by his ministry with the World Bank Group in Abuja. He was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Marine and Blue Economy, Professor Busayo Fakinlede.
Oyetola said fish is central to food security, household nutrition and rural livelihoods, and that Nigeria cannot be food secure while importing most of its fish. He said the goal is to “produce more, import less” and eventually become a net exporter, which he said requires every state to play its part.
The numbers
Nigeria needs about 3.6 million tonnes of fish a year but produces roughly 1.4 million tonnes. Imports cover the gap and cost nearly $1 billion annually in foreign exchange.
State-driven framework
Under the ministry’s framework, each state is expected to:
identify priority aquaculture value chains
assess investment readiness
develop bankable project pipelines
commit to measurable contributions to national fish output
The training brought together commissioners from Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Cross River States, plus permanent secretaries and directors of fisheries and aquaculture from across the federation. It covered business models, risk management, environmental and social safeguards, and public-private partnerships.
A Federal-State interface is also planned to coordinate a national fish security strategy.
Oyetola commended the World Bank for its support on analytical studies, cluster-based development, capacity building and the Aquaculture Investment Guide. He will oversee a post-training stakeholders’ roundtable with states and other stakeholders to sustain momentum.
Ministry’s scorecard
Fakinlede credited the minister’s leadership for:
the August 2026 inauguration of the Technical Committee on Accelerating Fish Production
digitisation of fish import licensing
a rise in national output from 1.1 million to 1.4 million tonnes
US shrimp-export certification after compliance with Turtle Excluder Device requirements
the Fish City and Fish Terminal investment portfolio to attract private capital
NIGERIA WATCH
Read the fine print. As of 9 November, I could not find a published World Bank project document for the $200 million, and the figure rests on the ministry’s statement. The repayment period, interest rate, per-state allocation and disbursement date have not been made public, and it is unclear whether this is new money or part of financing already agreed. Waterways News should press the ministry on these before treating the figure as settled.
Loans, not grants. States carry the debt and must show bankable projects. Strong states like Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Cross River, whose commissioners attended, sit on the water and are best placed to benefit. Inland and riverine communities lacking project-preparation capacity risk being left behind.
The missing small operators. The framework speaks of investors, PPPs and bankable pipelines. It says little about artisanal fishers, boat operators and fishing communities, including those represented by WABOTAN and ATBOWATON, who supply and move much of the country’s fish. Without cold chains, landing jetties, safe water transport and affordable engines, higher production will not reach markets.
Policy versus delivery. The target is ambitious, with output reportedly up from 1.1 million to 1.4 million tonnes. Yet Nigeria still meets under 40 per cent of its fish demand, and it has heard similar promises before, from the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund onward. The test is whether the roundtable produces dates, allocations and measurable state commitments.
Blue Economy
Oyetola Takes Nigeria’s Case on Gulf of Guinea Security and Seafarer Welfare to IMO Council in London
Oyetola Takes Nigeria’s Case on Gulf of Guinea Security and Seafarer Welfare to IMO Council in London
Minister says seafarers must not become casualties of geopolitical disputes as Nigeria presses for stronger technical support for developing maritime nations
By Ighoyota Onaibre | Waterways News
Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has restated the country’s commitment to safe, secure and sustainable international shipping. He is leading a high-level delegation to the 138th session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council in London.
The five-day session opened on November 2 at the IMO headquarters and ends today, November 6, 2026. Nigeria’s participation is meant to strengthen its voice in global maritime governance and to advance the interests of developing maritime nations.
Nigeria sits on the 40-member Council under Category C. The session is considering the protection of vital shipping routes, the welfare and safety of seafarers, institutional governance and the sustainability of the global maritime industry.
Protecting vital shipping lanes
A central issue is the protection of strategic shipping routes against growing security threats and attacks on commercial vessels in high-risk zones. Under Agenda Item 11, “Protection of Vital Shipping Lanes,” Nigeria is expected to draw on its experience combating piracy and maritime crime in the Gulf of Guinea to push for stronger international cooperation and coordinated security responses.
“Nigeria recognises that the challenges confronting the global maritime industry require collective action, stronger international cooperation and effective regulatory frameworks,” Oyetola said. He added that Nigeria was at the Council to see its interests represented and to contribute to solutions that strengthen maritime security, protect seafarers and promote sustainable shipping.
He said the progress made in the Gulf of Guinea showed that maritime insecurity can be tackled “through political commitment, effective coordination and cooperation among regional and international partners.”
Seafarer welfare
Seafarer welfare is also high on the agenda. This follows IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez’s condemnation of the use of seafarers as pawns in geopolitical disputes. Nigeria is backing measures to prevent the arbitrary detention and abandonment of seafarers, and to ensure their fair treatment, safe repatriation and mental well-being.
“Seafarers are the lifeblood of international shipping,” Oyetola said. “Their safety, dignity and welfare must never be compromised by geopolitical tensions.”
Budget and capacity building
The Council is also reviewing financial allocations for the 2026–2027 biennium and strategic priorities for 2028–2029. Nigeria sees this as an opening to push for more technical cooperation and capacity-building support for developing maritime countries.
Oyetola said developing maritime nations “must have access to the technical expertise, institutional support and investment opportunities required to participate meaningfully in the evolving global shipping industry.”
The delegation
The minister is accompanied by:
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Mrs. Fatima Mahmood
The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola
The Director of Maritime Services, Mr. Oyinloye Meshack
Nigeria’s Alternate Permanent Representative at the IMO, Mr. William Bwala
Nigeria Watch
A heavy session. The Council has dealt with more than Nigeria’s agenda this week. Other delegations have also pressed seafarer protection and freedom of navigation, with Liberia and Indonesia among the countries that raised them. The session has also given attention to security in the Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea. On Wednesday, the Council recommended a second four-year term for Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, running from 2028 to 2031. The IMO Assembly must still approve it in 2027. Nigeria’s message on the Gulf of Guinea has been delivered in a crowded room.
Hormuz is a Nigerian issue. This newsroom has followed the Strait of Hormuz crisis closely, from rising freight rates to war-risk insurance premiums at Nigerian ports. Oyetola’s call to shield seafarers from geopolitical tension is not abstract. Dominguez has said thousands of seafarers in the region live and work under heightened risk, and the IMO’s tally of seafarers killed in the region since February stood at 24 as of November 5.
Where the Gulf of Guinea story stands. Nigeria is presenting its Gulf of Guinea record as a model, and the Deep Blue Project is the backbone of that claim. NIMASA has just showcased upgraded assets at AFRIDEX 2026. Delegates in London will weigh the narrative against what stakeholders at home actually experience on the water.
The home test. Nigeria’s arguments at the IMO for seafarer dignity, fair treatment and capacity-building support will carry weight in proportion to how well they are matched at home.
Questions that Waterways News continues to raise:
Do Nigerian seafarers and inland waterway workers enjoy the safety and welfare standards the minister is championing abroad?
Will the technical cooperation Nigeria is seeking reach small-scale and informal waterway operators, such as those under WABOTAN and ATBOWATON, or stay at the policy level?
With Nigeria holding a Council seat, how will diplomatic wins in London be turned into delivery at home, from CVFF disbursement to NPERA implementation?
Waterways News will keep tracking the outcome of the 138th Council session and what it means for Nigerian maritime stakeholders.
Blue Economy
NIWA Deploys Enforcers to Niger Waterfronts as Boat Operators Cry Out Over Life Jacket Shortage
NIWA Deploys Enforcers to Niger Waterfronts as Boat Operators Cry Out Over Life Jacket Shortage
Operators say a 300-seater has only seven jackets, and ask for prices to drop from N20,000 to as low as N5,000
By Raymond Gold | Waterways News
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has sent enforcement personnel to waterfronts across Niger State to make life jacket use compulsory and ensure compliance with inland waterways safety rules.
NIWA’s Minna Area Manager, Akapo Adeboye, announced this at the 2026 Sensitisation and Enlightenment Campaign on Inland Waterways Regulations at Zumba Waterfront, Shiroro Local Government Area. The campaign theme was “Total Safety Measures and Compliance on the Nation’s Inland Waterways.”
Adeboye said NIWA has given 3,500 life jackets to boat operators at waterfronts across the state. He was troubled, however, that some operators neither wear the jackets nor provide them for passengers during trips.
He also condemned operators who charge passengers extra to use a life jacket, saying this discourages compliance. He said the safety of lives and property remains a priority of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, and that operators and passengers alike must wear life jackets before boarding. Violators, he warned, will face the full weight of the law.
Some operators at the event said scarcity and cost make full compliance impossible.
Adamu Gunduma said his boat carries 300 passengers but he has seven life jackets, one of them for himself. The other six go to passengers on a first-come, first-served basis.
Adamu Tanko said his 150-passenger boat has three life jackets.
Saidu Sani said his 40-passenger boat has none, for himself or his passengers.
Abubakar Mamman-Kwanu appealed to government and other stakeholders for more jackets through donations and support programmes.
The operators said a life jacket costs about N20,000 on the market and asked authorities to bring the price down to between N5,000 and N6,000. They added that high prices and falling farm-produce prices could keep many farmers from buying one. Farmers, they said, make up a large share of water transport users in the area. They called for stronger government intervention, arguing that easier access to life jackets would improve compliance and prevent avoidable deaths.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) first reported the development on Monday.
Nigeria Watch
Enforcement is arriving before supply. Gunduma, Tanko and Sani together operate boats licensed for 490 passengers, yet they reported 10 life jackets between them. Telling such operators to refuse boarding without a jacket is, for now, an order they cannot obey. Cheap jackets must reach waterfronts before penalties are enforced, or enforcement will fall hardest on the poorest operators.
NIWA has also faced a misuse problem. Adeboye said in an earlier interview that people sell the jackets, use them as pillows or farm tools. He said that when his team revisited a waterfront after a 3,500-jacket flag-off, they could not find one in use. Both complaints can be true at once, and the way out is a mix of local ownership, fitting by boat capacity and visible checks by marshals.
The stakes are real and well documented. After a July 2025 mishap at Zumba, Adeboye said 26 passengers wearing life jackets were rescued alive, 15 bodies were recovered and three people were missing. He noted that the incident came eight days after a NIWA sensitization campaign at the same waterfront.
Marshals and penalties are already in place. Waterways marshals were inaugurated at Zumba to enforce transport regulations. Adeboye has also said NIWA gazetted penalty codes for operators and passengers who fail to comply. The open question is whether operators get realistic access to compliance before sanctions bite.
Questions for NIWA and the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy:
How many jackets are needed to cover the licensed capacity of boats at Niger waterfronts, against the 3,500 supplied?
Can bulk procurement or local assembly bring the N20,000 price down?
Will NIWA publish compliance figures and sanctions issued after the campaign?
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