Hostility Trails NIWA’s Safety Drive as Niger, Kwara Communities Resist Life Jacket Enforcement

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) is encountering growing hostility in Niger and Kwara States as it intensifies efforts to curb deadly boat accidents through stricter enforcement of safety rules.

At the center of the conflict is NIWA’s flagship campaign, “No Life Jacket, No Travel,” introduced under the 2023 Inland Waterways Transportation Code. While the policy is designed to reduce frequent fatalities on Nigeria’s waterways, many locals have openly resisted it, mocking life jackets as “singlets” and, in some cases, confronting enforcement officers with violence.

NIWA’s Niger-Kwara Area Manager, Mr. Akapo Adeboye, said resistance from communities has become the biggest barrier to achieving safer travel. “The people resist because of attitude. They believe they don’t need life jackets. Sometimes they show strong resistance, even violence, when our officers enforce these rules,” he explained.

Natural Hazards Worsen Risks

Aside from community pushback, natural dangers make navigation more hazardous. Adeboye pointed to submerged trees around the Old Bussa axis of Kainji Lake—exposed by fluctuating water levels—as a major cause of capsizing. “These hidden obstacles cause boats to overturn, especially at night, because operators underestimate the risks,” he said.

NIWA’s Response Measures

To address these challenges, NIWA, in partnership with the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), has begun clearing submerged trees, placing navigational buoys, and considering floating jetties to cope with River Niger’s unpredictable currents.

The agency is also expanding its safety sensitization drive. Awareness campaigns are conducted in local languages—Nupe, Bassa, Yoruba, and Gwari—while loudspeakers are used in marketplaces to reach larger audiences. Yet, many life jackets freely distributed by government are sold off or repurposed as bedding and farm equipment, undermining the campaign.

Enforcement and Collaboration

NIWA has introduced passenger boarding manifests and cargo manifests, alongside deploying river marshals across 30 communities. These marshals, trained in emergency diving, are tasked with quick response during accidents.

The agency also collaborates with the Marine Police, Civil Defence, and the Department of State Services (DSS) to prosecute violators who travel without life jackets or engage in night voyages.

Adeboye acknowledged that conditions have improved with more patrol boats, safety stations, and live buoys but stressed that compliance from communities remains critical. “We cannot achieve zero fatalities unless the people accept these safety rules. For now, the greatest risk is not the river—it is the refusal of communities to comply,” he warned.