The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has attributed the recurring boat accidents across the country to the failure of passengers and operators to use life jackets and adhere to safe navigation practices.
The Director-General of the NSIB, Capt. Alex Badeh Jr., disclosed this during a virtual briefing with journalists, noting that repeated safety violations in the maritime sector had continued to result in preventable accidents.
Badeh said the situation differed from the aviation sector, where operators had largely implemented the bureau’s safety recommendations, helping to prevent the recurrence of similar accidents.
He said, “Most of the accidents or incidents we have investigated haven’t reoccurred because of those same issues. That’s because those in the aviation sector are taking our investigative reports and addressing them.
“At least on the aviation side, we’ve not seen the same issue happen over and over again. With the maritime sector, however, we continue to see the same issues repeatedly, particularly the failure to use life jackets. I think that has more to do with culture than anything else, but we’re working on it.”
The NSIB chief said the bureau was collaborating with relevant stakeholders to address persistent safety concerns in inland water transportation, particularly unsafe navigation during periods of poor visibility.
According to him, the bureau was engaging the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and other stakeholders on measures to improve navigation, especially at night and around sundown.
“We are talking to the relevant stakeholders, and they have shown interest in working with us, especially with the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, on issues such as navigation at night or during sundown,” he said.
Meanwhile, findings by Vanguard showed that at least 70 boat accidents were recorded across Nigeria in 2026, with no fewer than 80 people reportedly killed.
Although the figures are unofficial, the findings showed that January recorded the highest number of fatalities among the documented incidents, with 35 deaths, followed by February with 14.
Four deaths were recorded in April, while 11 people were killed in June and six in July, highlighting the continuing safety challenges on the country’s waterways.
