Nigeria’s Coast Guard Establishment Takes Centre Stage

…As Committee On Boat Mishap Submits Report

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

In a landmark move to improve safety across Nigeria’s waterways, the Federal Government has announced plans to establish a dedicated Coast Guard unit, following the submission of a comprehensive report by the Special Committee on the Prevention of Boat Mishaps.

Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola, received the committee’s report in Abuja on Friday, pledging urgent and sweeping reforms to prevent recurring boat accidents. The minister notes that the initiative forms part of President Bola Tinubu’s broader “Renewed Hope Agenda” aimed at modernising Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure and saving lives.

He adds that “The safety of our citizens on water is not just a policy responsibility; it is a moral duty.”

The 16-member committee, led by National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Managing Director, Bola Oyebamiji, conducted a rigorous audit of water transport operations nationwide and highlighted the following recommendations:

*Establishment of a Nigerian Coast Guard to enforce maritime safety protocols

*National Boat Design Policy to eliminate substandard vessels

*Mandatory certification and formal training for all boat operators

*Strategic search and rescue stations across inland waterways

*Life jacket distribution in coastal communities

The committee’s work included six chapters of analysis ranging from vessel design standards to institutional oversight challenges. Four technical sub-committees contributed to the report’s depth and credibility.

The Minister urged sub-national governments and private stakeholders to support the Federal Government’s implementation efforts. He emphasized behavior change, particularly the mandatory use of life jackets, and the replacement of unsafe boats with safer alternatives.

According to Oyetola, the report’s 64 recommendations would serve as the blueprint for both immediate and long-term safety reforms, improved funding for NIWA’s hydrographic and engineering capacities alongside robust public sensitization campaigns.

The Coast Guard proposal marks a critical shift in Nigeria’s approach to inland and coastal waterway security, as it also raises issues of divergent interests following past failed effort to achieve a consensus position on the creation of a coast guard.

It is believed that the coast guard proposal has been a very touchy one in view of unyielding, subtle opposition by vested interests, some of who are believed to have recruited the services of the maritime union to stand against its establishment.

If the current recommendation is considered and enacted swiftly, the move could significantly reduce the deadly toll of boat mishaps and usher in a new era of confidence in both water transportation, enhanced waterways security and beyond.