International investors have developed interest in the development of Nigeria’s inland waterways, which is said to hold so much promise as alternative means of transport in Nigeria.
This was disclosed by the management of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), which said that both local and international investors have realised the potential of inland waterways transportation as money spinner for investors.
NIWA also disclosed that the responses it is getting from overseas indicates that more foreign investor would be interested in investing in Nigeria’s waterways.
Officials of the Authority at a press conference in Lagos at the weekend said that most parts of the country would be connected through the waterways and that the channels from the coast to Bida through the Rivers Niger has become a reality as it plans to concession the Ontisha port in Anambra state and also to develop the Oguta Lake in Imo State.
In order to attract more investors, NIWA said it has concluded arrangements for the hosting of the second International Conference and Exhibition, ICE, on July 25, 2017 at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos.
NIWA said the conference with the theme: Improving Navigability and Inland Port Development for Sustainable Investment on Nigerian Waterways is aimed at creating a platform for people to get to know what the agency is doing and to attract more investors.
According to the area manager, Lagos Zone of NIWA, Muazu Sambo who was accompanied by the general manager corporate affairs of NIWA, Tayo Fadile and the general manager Marine, Olusegun Balogun disclosed that the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi would be the guest of honour, while the managing director of NIWA, Mustapha Boss would be the host.
Sambo disclosed further that the keynote speaker would be the head of the Centre for Port Operations of the Serbian Port Governance Agency responsible for managing inland ports in the Republic of Serbia, Srda Ljesevic.
He said Nigerians in the maritime business would be learning from Ljesevic with his over 20 years experience in managing inland ports in the Republic of Serbia.
He would be delivering the first paper on the Imperatives for Enhancing Navigation and Inland Port Operations on Nigerian waterways, while Otunba Kunle Folarin would delivering the second paper on Deriving the Benefits of Investments in Coastal and Inland Shipping Operations on Nigerian waterways, Sambo said.
The area manager of NIWA, Lagos stated that the first component of the conference would feature technical paper presentations, the second component would be the launching of a book on compendium of ICE 2014 procedures which the foreword was written by Mustapha Boss, MD of NIWA, while the third component would be the unveiling of an equipment, Aquatic Weed Harvester procured by NIWA from United States for the clearing of the waterways.
He said the book on compendium of ICE 2014 procedures would be presented by the Minister of Transportation.
The area manager of NIWA, Lagos explained further that the conference would afford Nigerians the opportunity to learn from countries that have developed their inland waterways so that the country could aspire to be like them and also for exposure, which is aimed at exposing the untapped potential within the nation’s inland waterways.
