By Faridat Salifu
The last weekend boat mishap in Niger State where no fewer than 25 people, including 10 members of one family, were feared dead has once again raised questions about Nigeria’s inland water transport safety framework.
The victims were traveling to the Zumba weekly market on Saturday afternoon when their overloaded wooden boat struck a submerged log mid-river and capsized, according to local reports.
Officials from the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) said search and recovery operations were still ongoing by Sunday evening, with dozens unaccounted for.
But beyond the tragedy itself, experts say the real crisis lies in the federal and state governments’ continued failure to regulate and modernize river transport, which remains the only accessible mode of travel for millions in Nigeria’s riverine and rural communities.
“This is not an isolated accident. It’s a pattern,” said Mr. Danjuma Garba, a water transport safety analyst based in Minna. “We’ve had similar incidents in Sokoto, Taraba, Anambra, and Kebbi this year alone. People die in dozens, and nothing changes.”
Garba blamed poor enforcement of maritime safety rules, lack of proper surveillance of waterways, and near-zero investment in safe boat infrastructure.
In most cases, including the latest one, there were no life jackets, no passenger manifest, and no trained crew.
Community leaders from Munya and Shiroro LGAs—where the boat originated and was headed—said they have repeatedly appealed to the government to dredge and clear the waterways of submerged logs, but nothing has been done.
“The boats are made of wood, the engines are unreliable, and there is no rescue service. It’s a gamble every time,” said Abdullahi Musa, a resident of Guni.
Niger State’s emergency response agency confirmed that the boat driver could not provide a manifest, making it difficult to determine how many passengers were onboard at the time of the accident.
Transport advocates are now calling for urgent federal intervention to fund modern inland ferry services, enforce safety protocols, and install warning markers across known hazard zones.
With the rainy season in full swing, river transport is expected to spike across the country in the coming weeks, further increasing the risk of more avoidable deaths unless concrete steps are taken.
