The National Inland Waterways Authority has announced plans to recruit and deploy at least 800 additional water marshals across Nigeria before the end of 2025.
Managing Director of NIWA, Bola Oyebamiji, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday.
He explained that the move is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen safety and regulatory measures on the nation’s waterways.
According to Oyebamiji, the water marshals will be tasked with monitoring loading points, ensuring life jacket compliance, and sensitising passengers and operators on safe navigation practices.
“We currently have between 350 and 450 water marshals, but the goal is to increase that number so that every authorised jetty in the country has more than one marshal enforcing safety rules,” he said.
He added that the Federal Government has provided equipment and navigational aids to enhance operations, while NIWA is working to boost manpower.
“We are working to raise the number of marshals to 800 by December, provided we are able to finance the recruitment,” Oyebamiji said.
The NIWA boss further noted that the agency already has four to five monitoring teams, including task forces in riverine areas, to complement the efforts of the marshals.
He appealed to boat users to comply with safety guidelines, particularly the mandatory use of life jackets.
“Passengers must discard superstitions about water protection and embrace scientifically proven safety measures. The use of life jackets increases the chance of survival in case of mishaps,” he said.
Oyebamiji also called on the National Assembly to expedite action on the Coastal Guard Bill, which he said would strengthen maritime safety.
He stressed that collaboration with riverine state governments is equally necessary to improve enforcement and awareness.