Families Demand Answers as Nigeria's Boat Disasters Keep Happening
Recurring boat accidents in Nigeria's rivers claim over 55 lives this year alone due to overcrowding, old boats, and lack of life jackets. Families and officials call for enforcement of safety rules, but change remains slow.
A Tragic Pattern in Nigeria's Waterways
Nigeria has seen a grim repetition of boat accidents. Despite official promises, basic safety measures are ignored, and resources are scarce. Most recently, a wooden canoe capsized in Jigawa state with 40 people on board, mostly female farmers. Seven bodies have been recovered so far.
Last month, a boat accident on the River Benue killed 12, including a pregnant woman and six children. Earlier this year, 14 people died in Kebbi state after returning from a wedding. In total, over 55 people have lost their lives in 2025, with many bodies still missing.
Systemic Negligence
For rural Nigerians, rivers are often the only transport option. Isiyaka Bello lost his wife last year in a boat accident. "It seems like just yesterday. She left four children, and I am still struggling alone," he says.
Key causes: overcrowding, unsafe wooden boats, lack of life jackets, and failure to enforce rules. Mallam Sala Altine, a traditional water safety official in Niger state, says they can provide life jackets for only 10 people even though boats often carry over 100 passengers. Government promises of more jackets have not been fulfilled.
Despite the Water Transport Code passed in January 2023, which mandates life jackets, licensed operators, and registered terminals, these rules are routinely ignored. Timothy Iwuagwu, president of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria, notes that most operators are untrained and unlicensed. Maximum capacity limits are rarely posted.
Additionally, tree stumps from logging become hidden underwater at high tide, causing boats to capsize. Dredging is often neglected, with responsibility shifting between agencies.
Lagos as a Success Story
Lagos state, where a third of the area is water, has dramatically improved safety. From 92 deaths between 2018 and 2023, only one death occurred in 2024 and six in 2025. Measures include new boats, life jackets, dredged channels, water marshals at every jetty, and mandatory training for operators.
Popular singer Aminu Bagwai, a survivor of a 2007 disaster that killed 36, laments the lack of progress: "I still think about it every day. My prayer was that ours would be the last one."
