By Heapnews
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) have agreed to strengthen collaboration aimed at improving safety standards, accident investigation processes and operational efficiency across Lagos waterways, the agencies said on Tuesday.
The agreement was discussed during a courtesy visit by an NSIB delegation to LASWA headquarters in Lagos, where officials from both organisations explored measures to enhance safety oversight, information sharing and accident prevention in Nigeria’s busiest inland waterways network.
Lagos State has increasingly promoted water transportation as an alternative to congested roads, with passenger traffic on the state’s waterways growing in recent years as authorities invest in infrastructure and services under the blue economy initiative.
Speaking during the meeting, LASWA General Manager and Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Blue Economy, Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, said collaboration among government agencies was essential to achieving safe, efficient and sustainable water transportation.
“The waterways sector continues to play a critical role in the state’s transportation ecosystem,” Emmanuel said, adding that stakeholders must work together to promote safety, operational excellence and public confidence in water transport.
NSIB Director-General Captain Alex Badeh said the bureau’s mandate was to enhance transportation safety through independent investigations and safety recommendations, noting that closer cooperation with LASWA would help identify risks and prevent accidents.
According to Badeh, the partnership would support efforts to improve safety culture across Lagos waterways while strengthening mechanisms for incident reporting and response.
Officials from both agencies discussed potential areas of cooperation, including the exchange of safety data, joint public awareness campaigns, training programmes, emergency response coordination and technical support for accident investigations and safety management systems.
The two organisations said they would continue engagements and develop practical initiatives to improve safety outcomes for operators, passengers and other users of Lagos waterways.
LASWA is responsible for regulating and promoting inland waterways transportation in Lagos State, while the NSIB investigates transportation incidents and issues safety recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents.