Estuaries provide deep natural harbour for example Banjul Port in Gambia and Free Town in Sierra Leone.

Provide good sites for port development.

Act as natural inland waterways for small craft.

Some serve as fishing grounds.

Act as tourist attractions.

Provide foreign exchange especially from taxes paid by importers and exporters at the port.

Provision of flatland for settlement.

Trade promotions as import and export trade is made easy.

May be shallow inland due to deposition of silt.

They are narrow inland that limits the size of water vessels to be used.

The problem of silting which requires constant dredging.

Waterborne diseases are common.