The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) was established by Decree No. 13 of 1997 with a mandate to manage Nigeria's vast inland waterway resources.The Decree vests in NIWA the power of exclusive management, direction and control on the Nigerian inland waterways. This power is exercised on Nigeria's 3000km navigable waterways from the Nigeria/Niger and Nigeria/Cameroon borders to the Atlantic Ocean. Nigeria is blessed with a river configuration very suitable for North-South movement of people and goods.The inland waterways of Nigeria comprise of the main river system (Rivers Niger and Benue which form a confluence at Lokoja), creeks, lagoons, lakes and intra-coastal waters. Early merchants, missionaries and educationist took advantage of the Nigerian river system to embark on expeditions on the River Niger.Toward the development of the Nigerian inland waterways, NIWA encourages private investments on the inland waterways in pursuit of government's policy of Public Private Programme (PPP)