Assessment of Life-Saving Appliances Compliance on Passenger Ferries in Lagos State

The adequacy of life-saving appliances aboard passenger ferries is a fundamental determinant of maritime safety outcomes in emergency situations. This study assesses the level of compliance with life-saving appliance requirements on passenger ferries operating across Lagos waterways, including routes connecting Lagos Island, Badagry, and Ikorodu. Adopting a descriptive survey design, the study examined twenty-five ferries selected through stratified random sampling across major ferry terminals. Compliance was evaluated against the standards prescribed by the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea and local regulations of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency. Data were obtained through physical inspection of life jackets, lifebuoys, fire extinguishers, distress signals, and first aid kits, supplemented by crew interviews. The findings indicate that fewer than half of the sampled vessels carried the required number of serviceable life jackets, and most lacked functional distress signalling equipment. Crew members aboard several ferries had received no formal training in emergency procedures, and muster stations were neither marked nor communicated to passengers. The study attributes these deficiencies to weak enforcement of safety inspections, financial constraints among ferry operators, and lack of public demand for safety standards. Recommendations include routine unannounced inspections by NIMASA, introduction of penalty frameworks for non-compliant operators, and public sensitisation campaigns on passenger ferry safety rights. Keywords: life-saving appliances, passenger ferries, Lagos waterways, SOLAS compliance, maritime safety