The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has been honoured with the Maritime Agency of the Year 2025 award following its remarkable achievement in reducing boat mishaps across the country’s inland waterways by 70 per cent.
The award was presented at the 2025 Award and Dinner Night organised by New Telegraph, which held in Lagos on Friday.
Receiving the award on behalf of the Authority, the Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Alhaji Umar Yusuf Girei, dedicated the recognition to the hardworking staff of NIWA and the immediate past Managing Director, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, for laying a solid foundation that strengthened safety reforms within the agency.
Speaking with journalists shortly after receiving the award, Girei expressed gratitude to the organisers for the honour, describing it as a testament to NIWA’s dedication and commitment to improving maritime safety in Nigeria.
According to him, the recognition would further motivate the Authority’s workforce to intensify efforts toward ensuring safer and more secure inland waterways transportation across the country.
The award acknowledges NIWA’s sustained interventions in promoting safety and security on Nigerian inland waterways, including the implementation of the Inland Waterways Transportation Code and the strategic deployment of water marshals to enforce safety regulations nationwide.
Industry stakeholders at the event commended the agency’s proactive measures, noting that the significant reduction in boat mishaps reflects the impact of strengthened enforcement, stakeholder engagement, and sustained public awareness campaigns throughout 2025.
The recognition reinforces NIWA’s position as a key driver of safety reforms in Nigeria’s inland waterways transport system.
