World Environment Day: NIWA Reaffirms Commitment to Clean and Resilient Waterways
The Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Umar Yusuf Girei, has reaffirmed the agency’s dedication to maintaining clean, safe, and sustainable inland waterways as Nigeria joins the global community to mark World Environment Day 2026.
This year’s celebration, themed “Urbanisation and Climate Change: Building Resilient Cities for a Sustainable Future,” highlights the environmental challenges posed by rapid urban growth and climate change.
Speaking at NIWA Headquarters in Lokoja, Girei noted that urban centres are increasingly expanding around waterways, which remain vital hubs of commerce, culture, and economic activity. He cautioned, however, that unchecked urbanisation places significant strain on the environment, leading to rising temperatures, flooding, and erosion — challenges that demand urgent, coordinated responses.
Girei emphasized that inland waterways serve as natural infrastructure for resilience. Properly managed rivers and channels, he explained, help mitigate flooding by acting as drainage pathways, while also offering a cleaner, low-carbon alternative for transporting goods and passengers.
He reiterated NIWA’s commitment responsible dredging and riverbank protection, sustained efforts to keep waterways free from pollution and indiscriminate waste disposal, as well as promoting water transportation as a safer, more sustainable alternative to road travel
Girei also stressed that government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility. He urged Nigerians to dispose of waste properly, plant trees along riverbanks, report illegal dredging and encroachment activities, and support environmental protection initiatives
By working together, he said, Nigeria can build resilient cities and safeguard its waterways for future generations.
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