NIWA Targets 2m Containers Shipment By 2025

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) says it targets a total of two million containers shipment through the Nigerian inland waterways annually by 2025.
Managing Director, NIWA, George Moghalu, disclosed this at a virtual breakfast meeting organised by the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping (NCS).
The meeting has as its theme, “Barge Operations System: A Sustainable Alternative to Land Transportation of Cargoes”.
Represented by the General Manager, Marine, NIWA, Mr Joseph Ororo, Moghalu expressed optimism that the vessel fleet, which includes barge and tugs, would surpass 50,000 in three years.
“The future looks very bright for the inland waterway business as we look forward, that, in the next three years, that is, by the year 2025, we aim to achieve two million containers moved through the inland waterways per annum.
“We expect 500 daily trips of vessel traffic to and from the ports, eight million metric tons of cargoes conveyed on the inland waterways per annum, and employment of two million personnel in this sector”, he said.
Moghalu stated that NIWA inspected and registered 332 barges and 264 tugs of different categories nationwide in 2021, adding that the authority would remain focused on encouraging vast job opportunities in the sector.
He transporting of cargoes by barges was a very important development in the country considering the enormous challenges and bottlenecks being witnessed in other modes of transportation.
According to him, though barge was still a developing mode of transportation in Nigeria, they must admit it was not being well regulated at present.
He, therefore, advised that relevant government agencies responsible for these should synergise to ensure that minimum standard operating procedures were put in place to sustain the activities of barge operators.
“From the barge operators’ point of view, which we cannot dispute for now, they posited that 750,000 containers were moved from the Lagos Port by barges on an average of 50 barge trips per day.
“This statistics is very commendable but not fantastic to be cheered about by all standards, considering the enormous potential and advantages Nigeria has in respect of this.
“We strongly feel that more can be done in this respect,” he said.

Stories by Chinedu Wosu