NIWA plans waterway cleanup and boosts blue‑economy investment

By Providence Ayanfeoluwa

NIWA has stepped up its efforts to unlock the economic potential of Nigeria’s inland waterways by launching a comprehensive clean‑up programme designed to address pollution, improve navigational safety, and attract investment into the country’s blue economy.

Parts Central Limited has been tasked with providing strategic oversight and implementation support for the project, which stakeholders view as a significant move toward restoring environmental sustainability in the country’s inland waterways.

Initiated during the tenure of former NIWA Managing Director Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji, the project aims to tackle long‑standing problems such as indiscriminate waste disposal, oil spills, environmental degradation and other pollution that have limited the optimal use of Nigeria’s waterways.

Mr. Henry Onifade, Managing Director of Parts Central Limited, said the programme would be carried out professionally to secure lasting environmental and economic benefits.

He added that the initiative marks a landmark intervention in the management of Nigeria’s waterways, aiming to deliver measurable outcomes through transparency, sustainability, and stakeholder collaboration.

He said: “This project goes beyond environmental sanitation. It is about creating cleaner, safer and more productive waterways that can support commerce, transportation, fisheries, tourism and investment.”

Onifade noted that the programme would pinpoint major pollution sources, enable systematic waste removal, and promote waste‑to‑wealth initiatives that could generate jobs for communities along the waterways.

He added that better waterway conditions would improve navigational safety by clearing debris and other obstacles that hinder vessels and watercraft.

He said the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the Marine and Blue Economy sector and should strengthen aquatic resource conservation, improve the fisheries value chain, and stimulate economic activity in coastal and riverine communities.

Industry stakeholders believe that cleaner waterways will make Nigeria’s inland water transport system more attractive, attract local and foreign investment, boost tourism and commerce, and unlock significant opportunities in the country’s emerging blue economy.