The Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) has decried the absence of navigational aids, such as the green and red indicators that denote safe and unsafe routes, on the nation’s inland waterways.
Speaking in Lagos during a meeting with various stakeholders, including the Association of Tourist Boats and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON), the Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association of Nigeria (WABOTAN), and representatives from the National Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), the President of FTAN, Nkereweum Onung, warned that rising boat accidents in the waterways could damage Nigeria’s reputation and deter visitors from engaging in water-based activities.
He stressed that for maritime tourism to thrive, the safety of tourists on water must be guaranteed.
Onung urged the federal and state governments and water transport operators to prioritise safety and infrastructure development in the maritime tourism sector.
Onung, who shared a personal experience of a two-hour boat ride from CMS in Lagos to Port Novo in the Benin Republic, noted the absence of proper navigation lights and the difficulties posed by water hyacinths.
According to the FTAN President, “There is a need for better infrastructure, including more visible red and green lights to mark safe and unsafe areas, to prevent accidents like the recent boat tragedies.”
He emphasised the importance of equipping all boats with good life jackets and strict enforcement of safety rules, especially regarding overloading and navigation markers.
Onung underscored the potential of Nigeria’s waterways for tourism and economic growth, noting that accidents could undermine progress.
He stressed that without proper safety standards and government enforcement, the sector’s potential remained at risk.
The FTAN president appealed to the government and operators to create a safer and more attractive maritime tourism environment, which would encourage Nigerians and foreign tourists to explore the country’s waterways and resorts.
“Foreign trips are becoming unsustainable for an average Nigerian family, so it has become expedient to promote local tourism, including maritime tourism activities for both local and international tourists,
“We decided that it is time for us to take this sector more seriously for the sake of, first of all, the operators, the government, and then our economy. Yes, we are tourism people, but you can understand that the Federation has those on water as part of us. That tells you that there is a lot about maritime tourism,” he stated.
In his own speech, the National President of the Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (WABOTAN), Tarzan Balogun, called for stricter safety regulations and enforcement to prevent further tragedies on the country’s waterways.
Balogun emphasised that tourists depended on boat operators for safe transport and that operators could not afford to risk lives due to preventable incidents.
“We don’t have enough of these navigation signs, but the government is working on it, and prevention should be prioritised overreaction,” he said.
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