The Managing Director of Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), George Moghalu, has stated that 70 percent of Nigerian inland waterways are still under utilised, in spite of the potential the sector has in the country’s economy.

Moghalu made the disclosure when he received a team from NEXIM Bank led by its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Abubakar Abba Bello, in his office in Abuja yesterday.

He said in spite of the gains in the sector, there are some issues which are still affecting the performance of the Nigerian ports, top among them, he said was the expansion and utilisation of dormant and exiting ports to create efficient transport system in Nigeria as well as to decongest the over-crowded Apapa Ports.

He said the country road infrastructure would continue to face threat of decay if the maritime transport sector is not prioritised.

According to him,

I believe very strongly that not until we develop the inland waterways the way it should be, and the inland waterways become fully functional, we will not be able to decongest the Apapa Ports. Until our inland waterways become fully functional, we won’t be able to save our road infrastructure from total decay, because our roads are not designed to carry the weight they are carrying presently.

All over the world, all cargoes are ferry by water or by rail. In fact more by water, and ours cannot be different.

When you look at the fact that God gave us the opportunity, we have over 10, 000 km of waterways in this country. As we speak today, it’s likely that only over 3,000 are functional.

If we do a little investment in our waterways infrastructure, a lot would be achieved for the benefits of this country.

Like the managing director observed, apart from the employment opportunities that it provides, a lot more can be achieved too.

Speaking earlier, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank, Mr. Abubakar Abba Bello, said the country cannot continue in the same direction.

We can’t continue relying on Apapa Ports for evacuation,

he said.

Bello said the bank in partnership with other government agencies is already working out modalities, and is at the verge of operationalising inland waterways transportation.

While emphasising on the potential of the transport subsector, he said inland waterways can effectively boost commercial activities along the coastal cities, towns and villages as well as creating job opportunities in the affected areas.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.