Nigeria’s waterways function important conduits for commerce, notably for small and medium-sized enterprises reliant on water transport to succeed in distant areas and coastal communities. Regardless of its financial significance, the maritime sector faces quite a few challenges, together with piracy, corruption, substandard infrastructure and frequent accidents. These points not solely jeopardise lives but additionally end in substantial financial losses for companies, GODFREY GEORGE writes
The day started like some other—a vivid, humid morning on the Port Harcourt-Bonny waterways, with the rhythmic sound of water lapping towards the boat’s hull and the distant hum of a vibrant market on the Nembe waterside finish of the Bonny Jetty. However for Mrs Pat Mienye, it could mark the top of all the things she had fought so onerous to construct.
Pat had recognized hardship all her life, however nothing might have ready her for what lay forward. She had misplaced her husband simply two months after the delivery of their second baby, Tonte. As a single mom who had relied solely on her husband’s revenue, his demise struck her like a thunderbolt. Nursing a new child whereas mourning the lack of her accomplice grew to become one of the vital harrowing experiences of her life.
“My husband was all the things to us. He labored as a crane operator for numerous development corporations on contract. The pay wasn’t a lot, however we by no means went hungry. He offered for all the things we wanted,” she recalled, her voice thick with emotion. “However all the things modified when he fell sick.”
What started as a easy case of malaria quickly deteriorated, turning her once-active husband right into a shadow of himself. He might barely stand, and his abdomen rejected all the things he ate.
“He was all the time vomiting, dropping a lot weight that we feared he would possibly die from malnutrition. All of the assessments pointed to at least one factor—malaria. We handled him each within the clinic and thru conventional strategies, however months later, he handed away.”
Her voice faltered, the reminiscences nonetheless as uncooked as they have been 9 years in the past. “It broke me. He was the one surviving son in his household, the rock of his mom after his father had died younger. The whole household trusted him for survival. His demise is one thing many people nonetheless battle to return to phrases with, even in spite of everything these years.”
The load of that loss lingered as if the grief had woven itself into the very material of her each day existence. But, by way of all of it, Pat refused to remain downtrodden.
Tonte was simply 9 months previous when Pat started borrowing. A neighborhood shylock had promised to lend her some cash to rebuild her life. The rate of interest was sky-high, however she had no alternative, because the banks refused to approve a facility for her on account of her lack of collateral or monetary observe report.
“He (the shylock) provided to present me N500,000, however I needed to pay again N600,000 in six months. I didn’t know what enterprise to begin, however I knew I needed to do one thing—something—to place meals on the desk for my two kids,” she mentioned.
By way of a number of ladies in her neighbourhood, Pat discovered of a commerce route spanning from Ikot Abasi by way of Opobo to Bonny Island. That is regionally referred to as the ‘bush market’. The ladies travelled to Cross River and Benue states to buy yams, greens, plantains, and imported stockfish from Cameroon, amongst different items. Her curiosity was piqued.
Armed along with her borrowed N500,000, Pat got down to discover this new alternative.
“We stayed as much as two days on the ocean,” she defined. “We might cease by completely different villages to purchase items—stockfish, palm oil, and plantains. I had by no means finished something like that earlier than.”
Pat detailed the gruelling circumstances aboard the native boat. “There was no time to wash. We simply used sachet water to clean our our bodies, and all we ate was garri soaked in water with some groundnuts which some ladies had introduced together with them. Some additionally got here with dry gin. They mentioned it was to maintain themselves energetic.”
She had secured a further N500,000 mortgage facility from a household buddy working at a microfinance financial institution, who acted as her guarantor. With the cash she had borrowed from the shylock, she was owing over N1 million.
By the point the boat was absolutely loaded, her items have been value over N900,000.
However on their manner again from Ikot Abasi, close to Opobo, the place some ladies have been to alight, tragedy struck.
“It was like magic. The driving force had mentioned it was a double-engine boat, however he lied. It was a single-engine vessel. He mentioned the gasoline pipe was leaking and the engine had developed a fault. I used to be terrified as a result of it was my first journey,” she mentioned.
The boat was packed to capability—dried fish, stockfish, palm oil, plantains, bananas, garri, and yams have been heaped so excessive that passengers needed to sleep on prime of the products. As they waited for the motive force to repair the engine, water started seeping into the boat.
“The driving force informed us to bail the water out, however it stored rising. I used to be crying; my community bar had disappeared. We have been in the midst of nowhere,” Pat mentioned, her voice trembling on the reminiscence.
Because the hours handed, desperation set in. The ladies started throwing items overboard—pepper, tomatoes, and even yams. Nonetheless, it made no distinction. The driving force additionally grew to become impatient. She mentioned he began shouting at them, “Throw these items into the ocean. We’re going to drown! We’re going to drown!”
“We paddled for one more 20 minutes, however the boat was too heavy, and we had only one paddle, which the motive force dealt with. At one level, the motive force mentioned he would swim to the shore to hunt assist and are available again for us. I used to be so scared. We have been all ladies, on their lonesome in the midst of the ocean at evening.
“By the point the motive force got here again with a canoe to rescue us and carry a number of the items that have been nonetheless aboard, it was virtually 9 pm, and the boat was practically submerged. All my cash, my sweat—all the things I owned—was gone.”
Pat returned with just some objects value not more than N30,000.
Piling debt
Pat was instantly plunged into debt. The lender was relentless, and the microfinance financial institution demanded its compensation. She was compelled to take yet one more mortgage to offset the mounting curiosity.
“I used to be depressed. My baby was rising quick, and I had nothing to my identify. Fortunately, my late husband’s household was type sufficient to maneuver me again to their homestead, the place I began educating whereas promoting ice cream to make ends meet. However the sea swallowed my dream of being a profitable girl.”
Her second baby, Pamela, didn’t begin formal education till she was practically three.
A parallel loss
John Chukwuemeka, a constructing supplies service provider, was one other sufferer of maritime tragedy.
Not like Pat, John’s enterprise had thrived for practically a decade. Nonetheless, in 2020, whereas delivering 2,000 baggage of cement to Peterside close to Bonny most important city in Rivers State, his boat sank, wiping out tens of millions in funding.
“Then, a bag of cement was round N5,600 or so for wholesale, and I had 2,000 baggage aboard, so we’re speaking about tens of millions of naira. I used to be sick for weeks. I couldn’t eat. I believed I used to be going to die. My spouse was so nervous for me, however it was the error of 1 man that triggered that tragedy,” he mentioned.
John had secured contracts to produce cement to a number of development websites in Peterside and Akiama, all on the oil-rich island of Bonny.
“That day, the boat capsized, and I misplaced all the things. I had over 2,000 baggage of cement in that boat, and I misplaced all the things,” John recalled bitterly.
No clarification was given to John aside from that the boat collided with a shipwreck and the boat emptied its contents into the river earlier than it might attain Peterside, the place he was to dump 50 baggage and take the remainder to his warehouse alongside Akiama Street, Bonny.
John, nevertheless, later found that the folks accountable for the jetty had used one other boat that was unsuitable for the supply. They claimed that the opposite boat had already been paid for by one other service provider, however John was unaware of this association. He had paid for the double-engine boat and had somebody he trusted to do the driving, however issues have been modified on the final minute.
“I used to be in Enugu at that interval to bury my mother-in-law. I had spent a lot cash, as we all know burying an aged particular person within the South-East prices some huge cash. I believed I wouldn’t survive the incident. My enterprise suffered for years. I’m not positive I’ll ever neglect that incident as a result of a lot of the items have been purchased on credit score, and I needed to ship the cash again to the retailers and preserve the acquire,” he mentioned.
The incident not solely worn out his monetary base however left him combating an extended, arduous battle to regain credibility along with his shoppers.
“The contracts have been time-sensitive, and I needed to refund a part of the cash to keep away from lawsuits. One of many orders was from a church, and so they had already set the revealing for that very same weekend. I despatched the products on Thursday. I needed to promote two of my vans and even a part of my land in Port Harcourt simply to cowl the losses. Even now, I’m nonetheless paying for it.”
For each Pat and John, the tragedies on the waterways have been a stark reminder of the precariousness of life and enterprise in a area the place security and accountability are sometimes uncared for.
The overloaded boats, poorly maintained engines, and lack of correct regulation aren’t simply inconveniences however components that proceed to say lives and livelihoods.
‘Each single factor sank’
Nedu Chiagozie labored as a gross sales consultant with a toiletry distributor in Finima. He additionally delivered merchandise to grease servicing corporations working in Nembe, Brass, and different riverside communities in Bayelsa and Rivers State.
However in 2021, after loading a ship certain for the Finima jetty from Port Harcourt, his items have been emptied into the river.
“I used to be not on the boat. That was my luck. I’m positive if I have been there, I might be telling a special story. Usually, we don’t use that native boat, however we couldn’t safe a reserving with the NLNG boat, so we needed to go together with that choice.”
“My boss misplaced items value tens of millions of naira as a result of the manufacturers of tissue bought for nearly N9,000 per pack. We additionally loaded kitchen towels, serviettes, and different toiletries aboard.”
Nedu mentioned he was ultimately fired and needed to begin his life from scratch.
“It wasn’t my fault, however I perceive why she fired me,” he mentioned.
Like Nedu, like Ella
Ella Pepple, who sells perfumes and African print materials, was born and raised on Bonny Island. After graduating with a second-class higher diploma in Microbiology from the College of Port Harcourt and ready two years for a job, she determined to begin her personal small enterprise.
“I had some cash saved, and I additionally begged a number of folks in our household to assist out. It was a group effort for me to begin. I often don’t go to the market. I simply ordered from distributors in Port Harcourt. I choose the products I would like, make the cost, and so they ship the products to me,” she recounted.
Throughout Easter in 2022, she was in Port Harcourt for a Bible seminar and determined to go to her distributors and purchase her items herself. She additionally determined so as to add beauty merchandise to her enterprise line.
She set out on Friday for the final boat again to the island however was informed that the obtainable boat was the native one, meant just for items. She would be part of the primary boat the subsequent day to select up her items on the Bonny most important jetty.
However the next day, information broke that the boat was overloaded, and the motive force needed to throw some items overboard. Sadly, hers have been a part of it.
“I misplaced greater than N430,000 value of products as a result of I additionally purchased some beads and took customised orders for 2 brides who wanted a specific sort of material. One among them had her wedding ceremony the primary week of the subsequent month. What excuse would I give her?”
“I used to be so depressed; I believed I used to be going to die. My enterprise has but to select up correctly now. I solely await the large retailers to convey items to the island earlier than I purchase from them. The revenue is so slim, however the threat is diminished for me. I don’t know what to do anymore, and there are not any alternate options. The Bonny-Bodo Street has not been accomplished,” she lamented.
Vessel Austrheim
On 25 August 2019, the vessel Austrheim launched into a voyage from Calabar, Nigeria, to Tiko, Cameroon. Tragically, it by no means reached its vacation spot, sinking close to the Bakassi Peninsula within the Gulf of Guinea. The catastrophe resulted in vital lack of life and cargo, profoundly affecting quite a few companies and households within the area.
The Austrheim, a transformed cargo vessel, was reportedly carrying roughly 200 passengers and a considerable quantity of products when it encountered extreme climate circumstances. Survivors recounted that the ship ran aground after putting a sandbar, resulting in its capsizing and eventual sinking. Preliminary experiences confirmed three fatalities, with over 100 people rescued. Nonetheless, as search and rescue operations continued, the demise toll rose to 17, with many others nonetheless unaccounted for.
Investigations into the catastrophe revealed that overloading was a major issue contributing to the sinking. The Austrheim was designed to accommodate not more than 75 passengers, but it was carrying over 200 on the time of the incident. This blatant disregard for security laws, coupled with experiences of the captain’s negligence, painted a grim image of the operational requirements upheld by the vessel’s operators.
The sinking of the Austrheim had devastating financial repercussions, notably for merchants and enterprise homeowners who relied on this maritime route between Nigeria and Cameroon. The vessel was laden with numerous commodities destined for markets in Central Africa. The lack of these items meant that quite a few entrepreneurs confronted monetary smash, with their investments submerged within the Gulf of Guinea. For a lot of, this catastrophe not solely worn out their present inventory but additionally jeopardised future enterprise prospects, resulting in a cascade of financial hardships.
Within the speedy aftermath of the catastrophe, Cameroonian authorities launched search and rescue operations, deploying the Nationwide Navy and particular oil area safety teams to the scene. Over 100 survivors have been rescued and transported to Bota Port in Limbe. The Cameroonian defence ministry acknowledged the overloading difficulty and indicated that investigations have been ongoing to find out the total circumstances surrounding the incident.
On the Nigerian facet, there was a notable silence from authorities officers. Regardless of the numerous variety of Nigerian nationals affected and the financial implications for Nigerian companies, there was a scarcity of a coordinated response or official assertion addressing the tragedy.
This absence of motion drew criticism from numerous quarters, with many calling for stricter enforcement of maritime security laws to forestall comparable disasters sooner or later. The dearth of response was seen as emblematic of the broader points surrounding maritime security within the area, the place negligence and poor oversight typically put lives and companies in danger.
One month, one sinking boat
In latest months, Nigeria has skilled a number of boat accidents which have resulted in vital lack of life and items, severely impacting companies and communities.
September 14, 2024, a picket boat carrying roughly 70 farmers capsized on a river close to Gummi city in Zamfara State. The farmers have been en path to their farmlands when the accident occurred.
A minimum of 64 folks have been feared useless, with solely six survivors rescued after three hours, in keeping with Reuters.
The lack of these farmers disrupted agricultural actions, resulting in meals shortages and financial hardship for native communities depending on farming.
That very same month, on 30 September, an overloaded boat carrying about 300 passengers capsized alongside the Niger River in Mokwa, Niger State.
The boat was getting back from an Islamic competition, and many individuals have been mentioned to have a number of items on the market contained in the vessel. A minimum of 11 folks died, and greater than 100 others have been reported lacking.
The tragedy affected households and communities, resulting in financial disruptions, particularly in areas the place the victims have been merchants and farmers.
The following month, October 3, a ship carrying practically 300 passengers, principally ladies and youngsters, capsized on the River Niger in northern Nigeria. The passengers have been getting back from a spiritual competition, and a few have been additionally farmers and businesspeople who had purchased items on the market. Dozens have been feared useless, with round 150 folks rescued.
The lack of lives, together with merchants and artisans, disrupted native markets and financial actions, resulting in monetary losses for companies counting on these people.
Equally, November 26, a speedboat struck a submerged log and capsized within the Gbaramatu Kingdom of the Warri South-West district in Delta State. All the products have been misplaced, and the merchants misplaced their fortunes. A minimum of 5 folks died, and 20 others have been lacking, Reuters reported.
In the meantime, August 8, a picket boat caught hearth and exploded on a river in Bayelsa State. The boat was carrying merchants with items to coastal communities. A minimum of 20 folks have been killed.
In Nigeria, quite a few companies rely on waterways for transporting items, and boat accidents have led to vital losses, forcing many to begin anew.
These incidents underscore the crucial want for improved security measures, higher infrastructure, and efficient enforcement of laws to forestall such tragedies and defend the livelihoods of these depending on water transport and associated companies.
Water-to-dryland: The fee
In Nigeria, waterways function important arteries for commerce, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises that depend on water transport to maneuver items effectively throughout the nation.
Nonetheless, the maritime sector faces vital challenges, together with accidents, piracy, infrastructural deficiencies, and corruption, all of which result in substantial financial losses.
Nigeria’s in depth community of rivers and its Atlantic shoreline make water transport an important part of the nation’s logistics.
Based on the Worldwide Commerce Administration, in Q1 2021, 97.09 per cent of complete exports from Nigeria have been transported through waterways, underscoring the sector’s significance.
Moreover, many companies within the nation rely on the waterways to succeed in distant communities in riverine areas akin to Bonny, Brass, Nembe, and others in principally coastal areas like Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and different elements of the Niger Delta.
The Nigerian maritime sector has been affected by inefficiencies, resulting in substantial financial losses.
A 2018 examine by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Trade (LCCI) estimated that the financial system loses about N600 billion in customs income and roughly $10 billion in non-oil export income yearly on account of port inefficiencies.
These challenges have additionally resulted in diminished capability utilisation, standing at 38 to 40 per cent, and have triggered about 40 per cent of companies round port communities to relocate, scale down, or shut down operations.
Piracy and its financial toll
Piracy within the Gulf of Guinea, the place Nigeria is a key coastal state, poses a major menace to maritime commerce.
The United Nations Workplace on Medication and Crime highlights that whereas direct financial prices of piracy are comparatively low, the oblique prices—akin to elevated safety measures and better insurance coverage premiums—are substantial.
These bills finally trickle all the way down to companies, particularly SMEs, growing operational prices and affecting profitability.
Maritime corruption additional exacerbates the challenges confronted by companies. The Maritime Anti-Corruption Community experiences that between 2019 and 2023, the common corrupt demand was round $20,600 per vessel.
Such practices inflate the price of maritime operations, with SMEs bearing a disproportionate share of the burden on account of their restricted monetary resilience.
The general logistics prices in Nigeria have been on the rise, reaching $69.1 billion in 2020. These escalating prices are partly as a result of inefficiencies and challenges throughout the maritime sector, together with items misplaced at sea, which compel companies to hunt various, typically costlier, logistics options, in keeping with Statista.
Affect on SMEs
SMEs are notably susceptible to the challenges in Nigeria’s maritime sector. The lack of items at sea will be devastating, resulting in monetary instability and even enterprise closure. For example, the lack of a single cargo on account of piracy or an accident can wipe out an SME’s revenue margins for the 12 months, specialists have famous.
Moreover, elevated logistics prices and corruption-related bills additional erode their competitiveness.
‘Stricter guidelines wanted for water transport in Nigeria’
A water security skilled, Mr Tessy Promise, mentioned the waterways function important arteries for commerce, particularly for small-scale merchants who depend on boats to move items throughout the nation’s in depth community of rivers and coastal areas.
Nonetheless, in keeping with him, the frequency of boat accidents has raised vital considerations in regards to the security and reliability of this mode of transport.
“Implementing efficient water logistics methods is important to mitigate these accidents and safeguard the livelihoods of merchants,” he famous.
Nigeria’s inland waterways span roughly 10,000 kilometres, with about 3,800 kilometres navigable year-round. These waterways join numerous areas, facilitating the motion of products and folks.
He mentioned, “Regardless of their potential, the waterways are affected by challenges, together with insufficient infrastructure, lack of regulation, and security considerations.
“In 2023, over 300 deaths have been recorded throughout Nigeria on account of passenger ferry accidents on coastal and inland waterways. The figures for 2024 can be comparable when launched. This alarming statistic underscores the pressing want for improved security measures and regulatory oversight.”
Stating the challenges resulting in water accidents, Promise recognized overloading, poor vessel upkeep, and insufficient security gear as contributing components.
He mentioned, “Many boat operators exceed the advisable capability to maximise income, compromising vessel stability.
“A scarcity of standard upkeep results in mechanical failures throughout transit. There’s additionally an absence of life jackets and emergency communication instruments, which improve fatalities throughout accidents.”
One other water security skilled, who works within the rigging part of an oil agency in Bonny Island, Rivers State, however refused to present his identify for safety causes, mentioned many boat operators have been unskilled to drive boats.
“The identical manner now we have driver’s licences for vehicles on the highway, boat drivers must be made to provide their very own licences. Do they even have licences? I do know there was a time the state authorities started an initiative in 2012 or so to streamline this course of, however lots of the drivers kicked towards it.
“They claimed that each one they should do is learn to be a ‘pilot,’ as they like to name themselves, and that’s it. They don’t know something in regards to the required weight a ship can carry, what to do if there’s an engine fault, or the way to deal with cargo, particularly fragile ones. They’re principally unskilled, and the weak enforcement of security laws permits substandard operations to persist.”
NIWA’s position
Though the Nationwide Inland Waterways Authority has been actively addressing the challenges of boat accidents that end in vital losses for merchants and small companies counting on water transport, the lack of lives and valuables leaves a lot to be desired.
NIWA’s efforts embody regulatory enforcement, security campaigns, and collaborations geared toward enhancing the security of the nation’s waterways.
NIWA has been vigilant in implementing laws to make sure the security of waterway customers, however a lot of the native governments, like Bonny Island, for example, haven’t any NIWA presence.
A ship operator, who gave his identify as Kalada, when requested whether or not he was conscious of NIWA, mentioned he was an “unbiased operator” and had no enterprise with the federal government.
“Na authorities purchase boat for me? I undergo purchase boat for myself, you come dey inform me about NIWA. What has NIWA finished for me? We’ve got an affiliation right here in Bonny. We’ve got guidelines and laws, and we preserve to it,” he mentioned.
Following a ship accident in Kogi State, NIWA’s Managing Director, Bola Oyebamiji, acknowledged that the authority would examine the incident and prosecute the boat captain and proprietor for deliberate disobedience to extant legal guidelines on waterways.
Moreover, NIWA has issued a number of warnings to waterway customers towards utilising substandard and poorly maintained boats. The authority has urged the Nationwide Meeting to expedite the passage of the Coastal Guards Invoice to enhance security and safety throughout the nation’s waterways.
International finest practices
The financial influence of waterway accidents is profound. Merchants lose items value tens of millions of naira, resulting in monetary instability and hindering financial progress. Implementing efficient water logistics can cut back these losses, enhance dealer confidence, and promote commerce.
Taking a look at worldwide examples can present worthwhile insights.
For example, Uganda, a rustic with in depth reliance on water transport throughout Lake Victoria, has made strides in lowering boat accidents by integrating security consciousness campaigns into its regulatory framework.
The Uganda Nationwide Roads Authority and Uganda Maritime Administration have collaborated with non-governmental organisations to offer security coaching for small-scale operators. Based on native information retailers, the authorities are answerable for the distribution of life jackets to boat operators and passengers.
Since 2019, there was a 30 per cent discount within the variety of fatalities related to water transport accidents on Lake Victoria.
Kenya’s strategy to water security is anchored in knowledge assortment and expertise adoption.
The Kenya Maritime Authority has applied a Vessel Monitoring System on Lake Victoria to trace boats and guarantee compliance with security laws. KMA additionally enforces the usage of registered, standardised vessels and conducts routine inspections to forestall the usage of substandard boats.
Between 2017 and 2022, Kenya recorded a 40 per cent lower in boat accidents on Lake Victoria, attributed to efficient regulation and expertise.
Leveraging digital monitoring applied sciences can improve monitoring and accountability on Nigerian waterways, such because the Lagos Lagoon and River Niger.
To curb accidents and defend merchants’ items and lives, authorities should implement present legal guidelines that mandate security gear on all vessels.