The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, in collaboration with the National Inland Waterways Authority, has concluded a three-day boat navigation and safety training for 75 boat drivers and skippers as part of efforts to improve safety and professionalism on Nigeria’s inland waterways.

According to a statement released on Wednesday, the training, which took place from Monday, December 22, 2025, to Wednesday, December 24, 2025, “focused on equipping participants with the practical knowledge and operational competence required for the issuance of the Certificate in Safe Boating and Navigation.”

The statement stressed that the participants were drawn from major boating associations, including the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, the Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria, and the Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association of Nigeria. Boat operators from Lagos, Ogun, and Ondo states also took part in the programme.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, a representative of the Marine Department at the NIWA Lagos Area Office, Timothy Clement, described the training as a significant intervention aimed at reducing accidents on inland waterways.

“Many previous boat mishaps were caused by limited technical knowledge and insufficient experience among operators. Sustained capacity-building would help address the challenge,” Clement said.

Clement also highlighted ongoing safety measures being implemented by NIWA, including the removal of wrecks to improve navigation and continuous sensitisation of boat operators along major routes such as CMS, Ikorodu, Badore, Badagry, and Port Novo.

He added that NIWA has intensified awareness campaigns, moving from jetty to jetty to educate operators on safe practices, while encouraging boat owners to release more skippers and captains for structured training programmes.

“We thank God for the success of this three-day training for boat skippers. Participants came from Lagos and other parts of Nigeria, and over the past three days, they have learned a great deal,” Clement said.

“This year alone, NIWA conducted sensitisation exercises two to three times across different jetties. We are encouraging operators to make more of their captains and skippers available for this kind of training. I believe that by this time next year, we will have even more reasons to celebrate improved safety on our waterways,” he added.

Also speaking, the lead trainer and consultant, Dr Sileola Akinbowale, described the programme as a life-saving initiative designed to strengthen manpower capacity and reduce waterway accidents.

She explained that the training was structured to ensure boat operators are properly equipped with both theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills required to operate safely and efficiently.

Akinbowale commended the Federal Government, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, and the former Managing Director of NIWA, Bola Oyebamiji, for prioritising safety and capacity development in the sector.

Assessing the programme, she rated it about 90 per cent successful, noting that it combined classroom sessions with practical exercises on the water. “We did not limit the training to classroom lectures. Participants were taken out for practical sessions at the jetty, which made the programme very effective. It was an all-inclusive training, not just theory,” she said.

She assured that the initiative would be sustained, stressing that continuous capacity enhancement remains critical to saving lives and improving professionalism on inland waterways.

Participants expressed satisfaction with the training, describing it as timely and impactful. A Lagos-based boat operator, Wasiu Olalekan, said the programme had strengthened participants’ ability to respond to emergencies and distress situations.

“With this training, we now know how to handle distress situations on the waterways because of the knowledge given to us. On behalf of the Lagos State participants, we appreciate the Minister and NIWA management for this opportunity,” he said.

Another participant from Ondo State, Biobaku John, said the training exposed him to critical safety and emergency response skills that would enhance his professionalism. “I gained important safety and firefighting skills during these three days. As a boat driver, I learnt a lot, and I am proud to have participated,” he said.

Similarly, the leader of the Ogun State delegation, Pami Ronald, said participants were trained in boat handling, safety procedures, first aid, emergency response, engine maintenance, and effective waterway transport management. “For the past three days, we learned extensively about safety, first aid, how to raise alarms, call for rescue teams, and even engine maintenance. The training was very educational,” he said.

The programme forms part of ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and NIWA, in line with recommendations from investigation reports under the tenure of former NIWA Managing Director, Bola Oyebamiji, to improve safety standards, professionalism, and confidence among inland waterway operators nationwide.

NIWA has taken several initiatives aimed at boosting safety on the waterways. Such initiatives include the gazetting and launching of the Inland Waterways Transportation Code, a comprehensive regulatory framework that standardises water transport operations, mandates safety practices such as life jackets and vessel identification, and imposes fines and penalties on violators to deter unsafe behaviour.

To reduce unsafe practices, NIWA has banned commercial loading at unauthorised jetties, prohibited unlicensed boats from operating, and barred unlicensed individuals from piloting vessels—measures aimed at reducing risk factors that contribute to accidents.

NIWA has also expanded its fleet of safety enforcement assets, including patrol boats, water ambulances, and hydrographic survey vessels, and increased the number of water marshals tasked with enforcing regulations at jetties and waterways nationwide.