“Nigeria Cannot Continue to Depend Almost Entirely on Roads for the Movement of People and Goods”
In a decisive push to expand water transportation, enhance local commerce, and protect lives, the Commandant General of Riverine Security (Coast Guard of the Federation), Commander Bibi Oduku, has called on the Federal Government to urgently prioritize the modernization and protection of Nigeria’s waterways.
Following specialized field monitoring assignments across various riverine communities, Commander Oduku emphasized that a secure and robust water transit network is a critical component of the country’s broader logistics, economic, and national development strategies.
The call was contained in an official statement released recently by the leadership of the Riverine Security organization. Speaking on the prevailing vulnerabilities within Nigeria’s marine and riverine sectors, Commander Oduku stressed that the nation possesses an extensive network of inland waterways and maritime resources that remain vastly underutilized.
According to him, the nation’s continued over-dependence on highways to transport massive commercial cargo places severe pressure on critical infrastructure. This lopsided logistics model actively fuels a rise in fatal road accidents, chronic traffic congestion, rapid asphalt deterioration, and costly shipping delays.
“Nigeria cannot continue to depend almost entirely on roads for the movement of people and large volumes of goods when we have an extensive network of waterways capable of supporting a modern transportation and logistics system,” Commander Oduku stated.
“We need to begin treating our waterways as strategic national infrastructure.”
He further noted that the relentless movement of heavy-duty haulage vehicles between geopolitical zones remains a primary driver of highway gridlock and infrastructure damage.
Additionally, he observed that high emissions from these concentrated corridors of heavy-duty trucks trigger severe environmental pollution, especially within densely populated urban transit hubs.
The Riverine Security Commandant General called on the Federal Ministry of Transportation, the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to jointly architect a comprehensive, coordinated national strategy for inland water transit.
He urgently pressed these regulatory authorities to look beyond legacy systems and fully embrace modern technology alongside international best practices to transform the management of Nigeria’s aquatic corridors.
“Our waterways must be made accessible, navigable, safe, and commercially viable,” Commander Oduku declared.
“The government must aggressively invest in modern jetties, automated terminals, advanced navigation systems, and standardized passenger and cargo vessels, alongside state-of-the-art marine communication networks and robust safety infrastructure.”
He emphasized that targeted investment in this vital sector would instantly optimize the logistics supply chain for agricultural produce, petroleum products, and manufactured goods. By providing a dependable alternative transit corridor, the initiative promises to shield businesses and everyday citizens from highway vulnerabilities.
Furthermore, Commander Oduku noted that a modernized marine transportation sector stands as a goldmine for job creation, capable of absorbing thousands of skilled and unskilled youth while unlocking fresh, lucrative frontiers for private equity and direct foreign investment.
“A properly developed waterways transportation system is not simply about moving goods and passengers,” he explained.
“It is a catalyst for job creation, enterprise stimulation, and local and international capital attraction. It is a proven model for developing long-neglected riverine communities and expanding the government’s non-oil revenue base.”
According to his blueprint, a robust marine transport sector will spark a powerful economic multiplier effect. It is projected to rapidly stimulate ancillary industries, including domestic boat manufacturing and shipyard maintenance, marine engineering, advanced logistics, automated cargo handling, maritime tourism, commercial fisheries, and specialized security services.
Addressing lingering apprehensions regarding piracy, militant activity, and waterborne criminality, Commander Oduku argued that these security challenges must never serve as an excuse to abandon the development of Nigeria’s blue frontiers.
He highly commended the critical, ongoing operations spearheaded by the Nigerian Navy alongside other statutory security forces, specialized marine security outfits, and community-based intelligence structures to maintain peace within the nation’s maritime domain.
“We cannot allow fear of sea pirates, militants, or criminal syndicates to paralyze the development of our waterways,” Commander Oduku maintained.
“Security enforcement and infrastructure development must advance in lockstep. The Nigerian Navy and allied security agencies are already performing vital duties to secure our maritime environment, and deeper inter-agency intelligence sharing will make that protective shield airtight.”
To guarantee long-term operational success, he advocated for a deeply integrated, multi-stakeholder alliance blending government regulators, tactical security forces, legitimate marine operators, traditional leadership institutions, and host riverine communities to permanently secure the waterways for safe passenger and commercial transit.
Commander Oduku turned his attention to the challenging socioeconomic conditions within riverine communities, particularly across the Niger Delta region.
He lamented that many of these coastal enclaves, which contribute significantly to Nigeria’s natural resource wealth, remain starved of critical infrastructure and essential social services.
According to his assessment, the chronic absence of dependable transportation networks, modern healthcare facilities, quality educational institutions, potable water, and electricity severely degrades the daily quality of life for millions of residents.
“It is unacceptable that communities contributing immensely to the economic strength of Nigeria continue to feel abandoned,” Commander Oduku declared.
“The people in our riverine communities deserve to see meaningful development around them. They deserve quality education, accessible healthcare, modern transportation infrastructure, and the basic necessities of life.”
The Commandant General disclosed that the Riverine Security organization has repeatedly engaged relevant ministries and regulators to flag these systemic structural deficits.
He expressed deep concern for vulnerable demographics—particularly children, pregnant women, and the elderly—who bear the brunt of this institutional neglect.
Oduku firmly demanded that future government interventions transcend mere bureaucratic rhetoric and translate into immediate, measurable results on the ground.
Turning to corporate accountability, he appealed to multinational corporations operating within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector to play an aggressive, hands-on role in developing their immediate host communities.
He called for a highly integrated, multi-stakeholder alliance blending the Federal Government, state administrations, private investors, and maritime operators.
“The transformation of our riverine areas must be approached as a collective responsibility,” he maintained. “The government and the oil and gas industry must work in tandem to expand infrastructure, optimize marine transit, fortify local security, protect fragile marine ecosystems, and generate sustainable economic opportunities for our people.”
To institutionalize this vision, Riverine Security is advocating for the design and deployment of a comprehensive National Waterways Transportation Master Plan. This blueprint would seamlessly integrate inland waterways, deep-sea ports, major highway corridors, and national rail networks into a singular, highly efficient logistics ecosystem. Nigeria requires an integrated transportation network where waterways actively complement roads and railways, rather than serving as an underdeveloped afterthought.
Commander Bibi Oduku concluded with a powerful call to action, urging the Federal Government and maritime stakeholders to decisively pivot from policy declarations to practical execution.
“Nigeria already possesses the natural waterways, the vibrant human resources, and the economic raw material,” Commander Oduku stated.
“What we urgently need is the political will, targeted capital investment, modern technology, robust regulation, and sustained security to unlock this massive frontier. The time for action is now. Investing in Nigeria’s waterways is a direct investment in safer transportation, economic diversification, national security, job creation, and the very future of our nation.’’
