At least 26 people have died in a boat accident on the Niger River in south-central Nigeria, a region particularly vulnerable to heavy flooding during the rainy season.

"According to available information, this tragic accident claimed the lives of at least 26 passengers," Kingsley Femi Fanwo, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information, said in a statement on X.

The boat was carrying traders who were travelling from Ibaji area (Kogi) to a market in Illushi, Edo State, on the other side of River Niger, and reportedly capsized on Tuesday.

The national emergency agency, NEMA, told AFP on Wednesday that its teams were on their way to the crash site.

Shipwrecks in Nigeria, on rivers or streams heavily used for transport, are frequent.

They are generally due to overloaded boats, poor maintenance or failure to comply with safety regulations.

In early September, a boat capsized on a river in north-central Nigeria, killing at least 32 people in Niger State, in the north-central part of Africa's most populous country.

"We call on our people, especially riverside communities, to always prioritize safety by avoiding overcrowding and using life jackets," Mr. Fanwo added.

In a statement broadcast on X, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expressed "his deep sadness at this tragic accident (...) especially since the victims had left with the legitimate aim of earning a decent living."

President Tinubu "once again urges shipping operators to prioritize safety over financial considerations in their daily operations."

Dangerous navigation

Kogi State is particularly vulnerable to flooding during the rainy season, which generally extends in this region from March to November.

A few hundred kilometers upstream from the site of the accident, in Lokoja, the Niger River - the third longest in Africa - is joined by its main tributary, the Benue River.

Several riverside communities suffered flooding in September, including the Ibaji area, the region's rice granary.

Heavy rainfall causes the river waters to flood, making navigation particularly dangerous.

According to local authorities, 76,000 people were displaced by floods last year, but no deaths were recorded.

In Nigeria, as elsewhere in Africa, climate change is exacerbating variations in monsoons.

Natural disasters are increasing, endangering the survival of millions of people whose homes are damaged or destroyed, and agricultural crops are ravaged, compromising food security.