The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has charged the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to prioritize system integrity as a foundation for sustainable growth, ethical leadership, and improved revenue generation in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
Oyetola gave the charge on Monday at a retreat themed “The Art and Practice of System Integrity in Public Institutions,” organized by NIWA in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). He was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Mrs. Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood.
In his keynote address, the Minister described system integrity as central to NIWA’s ability to effectively deliver on its mandate and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s Blue Economy agenda. According to him, strong institutional frameworks are essential for good governance, investor confidence, and operational efficiency across inland waterways administration.
He identified critical areas requiring improvement, including revenue generation, transparency, and accountability, urging the Authority to adopt technology-driven processes and deepen public-private partnerships to enhance efficiency and financial sustainability.
“System integrity is not a moral luxury; it is an economic necessity,” Oyetola said, calling on NIWA’s Board and Management to pursue financial sustainability and drive innovation in revenue mobilisation.
The Minister further noted that NIWA’s collaboration with ICPC aligns with the Federal Government’s preventive strategy against corruption, stressing that ethical leadership and transparent revenue systems are vital to unlocking the economic potential of Nigeria’s inland waterways.
Earlier, the Acting Managing Director of NIWA, Mr. Umar Girei, said the retreat was designed to strengthen the Authority’s systems and processes while promoting a culture of transparency, accountability, and performance-driven leadership within the organization.
Girei reaffirmed NIWA’s commitment to institutional reforms, effective revenue generation, and a zero-tolerance stance on corrupt practices as part of efforts to reposition the Authority for greater impact.
Also speaking, the Chairman of ICPC, Dr. Musa Aliyu (SAN), assured participants of the Commission’s readiness to support public institutions through preventive mechanisms, capacity building, and integrity-driven initiatives aimed at improving governance standards.
