Boat accidents are common in Nigeria, with overcrowding, poorly maintained boats and weak enforcement of safety rules often blamed for deaths. At least five people drowned when a boat overturned in Jigawa state last month.
In January, at least 26 people drowned when a boat carrying farmers and fishermen from Jigawa to Yobe state capsized.
And in December 2024, 54 bodies were recovered from the River Niger after a boat that may have been carrying more than 200 passengers capsized.
The authorities have recommended measures including providing safer boats and life jackets, dredging waterways, deploying water guards at jetties and terminals, and ensuring boat operators are properly trained and licensed.
But many of these measures have not been fully implemented or properly enforced.
For millions of Nigerians, particularly in rural communities, rivers are an important means of transport. Many villages are located near waterways, while poor roads and a lack of bridges can make travel by land difficult.
Wooden boats are often used to transport people and goods, including to markets and neighbouring communities.
Additional reporting by BBC Hausa’s Haruna Ibrahim
