Why Nigeria suffers recurring boat tragedies – NSIB

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has attributed the recurring boat accidents across the country to a persistent disregard for safety guidelines, failure to use life jackets by passengers and operators, as well as unsafe navigation practices.

Captain Alex Badeh Jr, the Director-General of the NSIB, disclosed this during a virtual briefing he held with newsmen.

He lamented that unlike the aviation sector, where operators implement the bureau’s safety recommendations, the maritime sector continues to record repeated violations of basic safety measures.

According to him, investigations into aviation accidents have helped prevent similar occurrences because stakeholders acted on the bureau’s recommendations, whereas the same safety lapses continue to recur in the maritime sector.

“Most of the accidents or incidents we have investigated haven’t reoccurred because of those same issues.

“That’s because those in the aviation sector are taking our investigative reports and addressing them. At least on the aviation side, we’ve not seen the same issue happen over and over again.

“With the maritime sector, however, we continue to see the same issues repeatedly, particularly the failure to use life jackets.

“I think that has more to do with culture than anything else, but we’re working on it,” Badeh said.

He further disclosed that the bureau was collaborating with relevant stakeholders to tackle the persistent safety challenges, particularly unsafe navigation during periods of poor visibility.

“We are talking to the relevant stakeholders, and they have shown interest in working with us, especially with the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, on issues such as navigation at night or during sundown,” he noted.

Meanwhile, available information showed that no fewer than 70 boat accidents were recorded across Nigeria in 2026, with at least 80 people losing their lives.

Although the figures are unofficial, checks showed that January recorded the highest death toll among the documented incidents, with 35 fatalities, followed by February with 14.

Four deaths were recorded in April, 11 in June and six in July.