Last month, a boat accident on the River Benue in central Nigeria claimed the lives of 12 people, including a pregnant woman and six children. Earlier this year, 14 people lost their lives when their boat capsized in Gumbi, Kebbi state. So far this year, more than 55 people have already lost their lives in boat accidents, with dozens of bodies yet to be recovered. The reasons why water transport in Nigeria is so risky are painfully predictable:OvercrowdingUnsafe boatsFailure to enforce basic safety rules like wearing life jackets. Between January 2023 and October 2025, Niger state accounted for a significant share of the nearly 860 deaths recorded across Nigeria.