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The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has called on the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to enhance its system integrity as a strategy to increase revenue.
Speaking at a capacity-building workshop for NIWA board members, management, and area managers in Abuja, Oyetola emphasized that strong institutional integrity directly impacts economic performance and revenue generation.
The minister, represented by Permanent Secretary Fatima Sugra Mahmod, said trusted institutions attract investment, improve compliance, and reduce revenue leakages.
“Public institutions that struggle with inefficiency can become commercially viable by tightening governance, automating processes, eliminating discretionary abuses, and insisting on performance. When the system works, revenue follows,” Oyetola stated.
Challenges Facing NIWA
Oyetola identified key challenges hindering NIWA’s performance, including revenue leakages, weak enforcement of regulations, inefficiencies in licensing and tariff administration, limited data on traffic and assets, safety lapses, and practices that undermine public confidence.
He explained that these issues not only reduce revenue but also slow down dredging projects, delay river port operations, compromise safety on waterways, and discourage private sector participation.
“Every naira lost to inefficiency or poor planning is a naira taken away from dredging channels, maintaining navigational aids, enforcing safety standards, and unlocking the economic value of our inland waterways,” he said.
Recommendations for Reform
Oyetola urged NIWA to implement deliberate measures to strengthen integrity, including:
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Ensuring transparency and accountability in daily operations
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Making financial flows traceable end-to-end
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Setting clear, fair, and consistently applied tariffs
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Strengthening internal controls and acting on audit findings
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Using technology to automate processes, reduce human discretion, and close revenue leakages
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Adopting performance metrics and consequence management
“Technology offers NIWA a powerful lever for reform. Digital platforms for licensing, tariff collection, and monitoring can provide real-time data and improve efficiency,” the minister added.
Leadership Commitment and Revenue Generation
Oyetola stressed that revenue must be treated as a core operational responsibility, not an afterthought. He urged NIWA to monetize waterways responsibly through user charges, concessions, partnerships, and value-added services.
The acting Managing Director of NIWA, Umar Girei, announced plans to fully digitize operations to capture all incoming revenue and improve efficiency.
“We are going full digitalisation to ensure that we capture all revenues coming into NIWA,” Girei said.
With the rainy season approaching, NIWA has also deployed special marshals nationwide to enforce safety regulations and prevent boat mishaps. Marshals will now operate beyond standard hours to monitor night activities.
Girei acknowledged the capital-intensive nature of dredging but assured that funding would be secured to maintain the waterways.
ICPC Commends NIWA
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Aliyu, commended NIWA’s steps to strengthen its capacity for ethical governance. He highlighted corruption risks in revenue assurance, procurement, concessions, and enforcement, emphasizing that prevention is more effective than chasing stolen funds.
Aliyu pledged ICPC’s support in helping NIWA prevent corruption and foster an ethical culture.
