The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has introduced a set of new regulatory drafts as it navigates an ongoing push to remove the agency from the supervision of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
The draft was made public on Thursday during a one-day Multimodal Transportation Stakeholders’ Workshop held in Abuja. Speaking at the event, the NSIB Director-General, Capt Alex Badeh, unveiled three critical regulatory drafts aimed at strengthening safety oversight across air, rail, and marine transport systems.
The documents include the Railway (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Regulations Draft, the Maritime Safety Investigation Regulations Draft, and a revised Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations Draft.
Badeh said the drafts were the result of months of expert consultation and data analysis, and reflect the agency’s mandate to independently investigate transportation incidents across all modes in line with the NSIB Act of 2022.
He emphasised the need for stakeholder collaboration and welcomed input to refine the regulations. Badeh stated, “These drafts represent months of dedicated work informed by data, expert consultations, and real-world experiences.
“We invite your valuable input to refine them further, ensuring they are practical, enforceable, and effective in preventing future incidents.”
His remarks come amid growing debate within government circles about relocating the NSIB from the aviation ministry to operate directly under the Presidency or a neutral oversight body, as some stakeholders argue that its multimodal role no longer fits under a single-sector ministry.
Badeh concluded that the NSIB’s work must continue with independence and support from all sectors, adding, “By working together, we can identify system gaps, share best practices, and build resilient safety mechanisms aligned with international standards.”
On Wednesday, during a joint public hearing in Abuja, although opposed by the Ministry of Aviation, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Dr Onwusoro Maduka, stressed the need for the bureau to operate independently, especially in the conduct of accident investigations.
Meanwhile, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, reiterated the importance of cross-sector collaboration in enhancing transportation safety. He acknowledged the complexity of managing safety in interconnected transport systems and warned against operating in silos.
Keyamo said, “Safety knows no boundaries; an incident on the railway can affect air cargo logistics. A marine mishap can hinder road access to ports. That’s why a multimodal, collaborative approach is not optional, but it is essential.”
Keyamo praised the NSIB’s shift toward a preventive, non-punitive regulatory approach, in line with global best practices. However, the move to further strengthen the bureau’s independence could potentially diminish the Aviation Ministry’s oversight, fueling the ongoing institutional tug of war.
Also present at the workshop were Minister of Transportation, Senator Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali, and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, whose joint appearance with Keyamo was seen as a symbolic endorsement of integrated transport safety reform.
