ABUJA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian authorities on Wednesday said the 8,500-year-old Dufuna canoe, believed to be the oldest in Africa and third oldest in the world's watercraft, is set for public viewing in the west African country.

The canoe, which has undergone various stages of conservation, is now in the final stage of treatment before the exhibition in Nigeria, according to the official News Agency of Nigeria.

Although a date has not been set for the public unveiling, local officials said the canoe, made from black African mahogany, is considered to have huge benefits for the country's economy during and after its first public exhibition.

Mohammed Abare, permanent secretary of domestic affairs in Nigeria's northern state of Yobe, told reporters the canoe has rich potentialities for international tourism and academic research.

The canoe was discovered in Nigeria's northeastern village of Dufuna in 1987.

The canoe, which was measured eight meters in length, 0.5 meters in width and 5.5 meters in thickness, was designated a national monument in 2014.