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This Act provides for the administration and management of inland waterways of Nigeria, establishes the National Inland Waterways Authority, defines the Authority's functions, powers and internal organization, provides for the use of land adjacent to waterways, prescribes offences relating to obstruction and pollution of waterways and prescribes penalties for such offences.The Act consists of 30 sections, which are divided into six Parts, and is completed by four Schedules.The National Inland Waterways Authority is established under section 3 as a body corporate. The objective of the Authority shall be to improve and develop inland waterways for navigation. Rivers and their tributaries, distributaries, creeks, lakes, lagoons and intra-coastal waterways specified in the Second Schedule to this Act are declared Federal navigable waterways. The Authority shall be managed by a Governing Board. Functions of the Authority are set out in section 9. Subject to the provisions of the Lands (Title Vesting, etc.) Act, the right of land usage for improvement of navigability and provision of infrastructure shall cover areas on both banks submerged in a flood. The Authority shall also have right to all land within the right-of-way of declared waterways and shall use such land in the interest of navigation. No person including a State shall obstruct a declared waterway, take sand, gravel or stone from any declared waterway, erect structures within the right-of-way, divert water from a declared waterway, or use, without approval from the Authority, the area of land along the waterfront within 100 metres from the edge of both banks of waterways.
