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A coalition of indigenous maritime tourism and transportation investors has pledged to drive strategic investments to unlock Nigeria’s largely untapped inland waterways tourism economy.
The group, Allied Concessionaries and Blue Economy Alliance, made the commitment during a courtesy visit to the Lagos Area Manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Engineer Sarat Braimah, at the NIWA Lagos Area Office.
Chairman of the coalition, Bolaji Olasade, said the alliance comprises established maritime tourism and transportation operators ready to partner with NIWA to redefine waterfront recreation and hospitality through safe and efficient water transport systems.
He explained that the consortium aims to open up littoral communities through destination marketing, resort promotion, and infrastructure development, while creating jobs and expanding coastal tourism opportunities in Lagos and beyond.
“We are a consortium of visible and tested concessionaires prepared to collaborate with NIWA to grow inland waterways tourism infrastructure and reposition Nigeria’s brown water and blue economy sectors into globally competitive industries,” Olasade said.
Meanwhile, Secretary of the coalition, Barrister Dorcas Aderemi, stressed that sustainable growth in the marine and blue economy sector depends on strategic alignment of the inland waterways ecosystem.
She called for a structured public-private partnership framework to accelerate investment, improve waterways utilisation, and boost government revenue.
The investors commended Braimah’s leadership, particularly her zero-tolerance stance on boat accidents and security breaches, and congratulated her on receiving the Nelson Mandela Pan-African Leadership Award.
Responding, Braimah welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed NIWA’s commitment to working with credible private investors to unlock opportunities along Lagos inland waterways and across the country.
“NIWA cannot achieve its mandate alone. We require serious investors with genuine financial capacity. We will forward your proposals to our headquarters in Abuja to explore how you can leverage existing opportunities,” she said.
She also underscored the need to modernise water transport through the introduction of new boats and ferries to phase out obsolete vessels, enhance safety standards, and improve operational efficiency.
Braimah urged the coalition to remain united and focused on delivering measurable impact, particularly in empowering littoral communities to benefit directly from maritime tourism and inland waterways transportation development.
