The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) on Thursday held its first Multimodal Transportation Stakeholders Workshop in Abuja, aimed at strengthening safety standards across air, rail, road, and maritime sectors.
“Strengthening Transport Safety Standard through Collaboration” was the theme of the event, which brought together the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, agency heads, and transport experts to promote cooperation and prevent accidents across the industry.
Declaring the workshop open, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, emphasised the need for synergy among regulators such as the NCAA, NIMASA, NRC, and NIWA, as well as operators, unions, manufacturers, and global partners.
“For instance, sharing data on near-misses or contributory factors such as human error, mechanical failures, or environmental conditions can prevent cascading risks across modes,” Keyamo said. “In aviation, we have seen how collaborative efforts with ICAO and other global bodies have reduced accident rates. Similarly, in the rail and marine sectors, joint initiatives on infrastructure maintenance and emergency response can save lives.”
“I urge all of us here today to commit to breaking down barriers: share best practices, invest in joint,” he added.
NSIB Director General, Captain Alex Badeh Jr, said the Bureau convened the event to foster open dialogue and create frameworks that safeguard lives and infrastructure across all modes of transport.
“In an era where transportation and transportation systems are increasingly interconnected, collaboration is not just beneficial, it is essential,” he stated.
He said Nigeria must align safety systems with international standards while adapting to local challenges, expressing optimism that the discussions would produce actionable outcomes.
NIWA Managing Director, Dr Bola Oyebamiji, pledged the agency’s support and urged sustained collaboration among stakeholders to improve safety in Nigerian waterways.
FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, said the Corps is ramping up deployment strategies to reduce road crashes and expressed readiness to work with NSIB to deliver on its mandate.
A panel session chaired by former US National Transportation Safety Board Managing Director Dennis Jones featured Engineer Seyi Sijuwade, former MD of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, and retired Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba.
Participants reviewed three key regulatory drafts:
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The Railway Investigation of Accidents and Incidents Regulation Draft, which sets out investigative procedures for rail accidents;
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The Maritime Safety Investigation Regulations Draft, designed to enhance transparency and safety in maritime operations;
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A revised Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations Draft, aimed at strengthening oversight through global best practices and new technologies.
Experts and investigators from Nigeria, other African countries, and beyond attended the session.
PIAK