Professional Evaluation of the Adequacy of Maritime Communication Infrastructure on Nigerian Inland Waterways

Reliable maritime communication infrastructure is fundamental to coordinating vessel traffic, responding to emergencies, and maintaining operational connectivity on inland waterways. This study evaluates the adequacy of maritime communication systems available to vessel operators on the principal inland waterways managed by the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority, covering the River Niger, River Benue, and connecting waterway systems. A professional infrastructure review methodology was adopted, using structured interviews with fifteen NIWA operations officers, river traffic controllers, and vessel operators, combined with signal coverage mapping and review of distress alert records for the period 2021 to 2024. The study assesses VHF radio coverage, availability of digital selective calling equipment, and mobile network coverage across key waterway segments. Findings indicate that VHF radio coverage is discontinuous along most inland waterway routes, with significant dead zones between Jebba and Lokoja on the River Niger and between Makurdi and Idah on the River Benue. Mobile network coverage provides partial communication capability but is unreliable during rainfall events in forested corridors. Fewer than twenty percent of commercial inland vessels carry VHF radios, with most operators relying exclusively on mobile phones. The study finds that distress response times are significantly longer in communication dead zones. Recommendations include installation of VHF repeater stations at fifty-kilometre intervals along major waterways, mandatory VHF radio carriage on all licensed commercial inland vessels, and integration of NIWA waterway communication into the national maritime distress network. Keywords: maritime communication, inland waterways, VHF radio, NIWA, distress communication