Nigeria’s National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and the Government of Bangladesh said they are ready to explore bilateral cooperation to strengthen inland water transportation in both countries.
The proposed partnership would cover technical exchange, capacity building, infrastructure development and investment opportunities in the inland waterways sector.
Both sides made the commitment when Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Miah Mohammad Kabir, paid a courtesy visit to NIWA management at the agency’s liaison office in Abuja.
NIWA’s Acting Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Umar Girei, said the visit was an opportunity to strengthen institutional ties between the two riverine nations, which share vast inland waterways potential.
Girei said Bangladesh has about 24,000 kilometres of waterways, which carry more than 25 per cent of its passenger traffic and move millions of tonnes of cargo.
Nigeria has an estimated 10,000 kilometres of inland waterways, he said. The River Niger and River Benue are the main routes and provide navigable access to about 28 of the country’s 36 states.
Bangladesh’s experience in using its waterways for transport and economic development offers valuable lessons for Nigeria as the federal government steps up efforts to tap the sector’s economic potential, Girei said.
He listed technical and knowledge exchange in dredging, channel maintenance and year-round navigability as possible areas of cooperation. Others include developing and managing river ports, jetties and passenger ferry systems, he said.
Kabir thanked NIWA management for the reception and said both countries stood to gain from mutually beneficial partnerships in inland water transport.
He named dredging, boat construction, marine equipment manufacturing, and training and retraining as areas where Bangladesh could share its expertise with Nigeria.
Kabir said he was optimistic the talks would lead to concrete cooperation and lasting institutional partnerships to advance inland water transport and economic development in both countries.
Both parties said they were confident the collaboration would improve the efficiency, safety and economic viability of inland waterways transport in Nigeria and Bangladesh.
