The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) is taking steps to improve the speed and effectiveness of accident investigations through specialised manpower, modern equipment and stronger collaboration with relevant agencies.
The Director-General of the Bureau, Capt. Alex Badeh Jr., disclosed this during a virtual media engagement on the NSIB’s activities, projects and policy initiatives in the first half of 2026.
Badeh said the Bureau planned to acquire breathalysers and internationally certified testing kits to strengthen preliminary testing at accident scenes, particularly during aviation investigations.
He said the equipment would enable investigators to conduct initial tests before samples were forwarded to laboratories for further analysis.
He stressed that NSIB investigations were non-punitive and focused on establishing facts, identifying contributing factors and making safety recommendations to prevent similar accidents.
On maritime investigations, Badeh said the Bureau had made significant progress following the deployment of dedicated maritime investigators and specialised investigative software.
He disclosed that several maritime reports were already at the stakeholder-review stage, with about four ready for release after relevant stakeholders provide their comments.
He said the development had helped address some of the delays previously experienced when aviation investigators were largely responsible for maritime investigations.
Badeh, however, identified inadequate funding and a lack of specialised equipment as continuing challenges to the Bureau’s operations.
He said the absence of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) was a major gap, as such equipment was needed to assist investigators in recovering evidence and bodies from submerged vessels, especially in waterways with poor underwater visibility.
NSIB’s expanded responsibilities across aviation, rail and maritime transport were largely being funded through aviation-related revenue, putting pressure on its resources and contributing to budgetary constraints.
Badeh expressed optimism that the repositioning of NSIB to the Presidency through the Office of the National Security Adviser would help address some of its institutional and funding challenges.
He said the NSIB currently had about 407 employees but needed more personnel with specialised expertise in aviation, maritime and rail accident investigation.
According to him, the Bureau was prioritising the training and upskilling of existing staff, while plans to recruit additional specialists would depend on available funding and other institutional considerations.
Badeh said the Bureau was strengthening cooperation with regulatory and law-enforcement agencies, stressing that NSIB was established to complement their work rather than compete with or replace them.
He disclosed that the Bureau was working with agencies including the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and railway authorities to improve safety across the country’s transport system.
He said the Bureau was pursuing a formal Memorandum of Understanding with NIWA as part of efforts to reduce accidents and fatalities on Nigeria’s inland waterways.
On the overall state of transport safety, Badeh said he was not entirely satisfied with recent developments in aviation, particularly following the VMO Aero and Enugu Air incidents, which remain under investigation.
He, however, acknowledged improvements in road safety, including a reduction in major tanker-related incidents.
Badeh added that NSIB would continue to strengthen its technical capacity, improve access to modern investigative equipment and deepen collaboration with stakeholders to make Nigeria’s transport system safer.
