In a bid to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of accident investigations, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) is working to develop specialized manpower, acquire modern equipment and build stronger collaboration with relevant agencies.
This was disclosed by the Director-General of the Bureau, Capt. Alex Badeh Jr., during a virtual media engagement on the activities, projects and policy initiatives of the NSIB in the first half of 2026.
Badeh said the Bureau planned to acquire breathalyzers and internationally certified testing kits to improve preliminary tests at accident scenes, especially in aviation investigation.
The equipment would allow investigators to do some initial testing before samples were sent to labs for further analysis, he said.
He stressed that NSIB investigations were not punitive, but aimed to find out the facts, identify the contributing factors and make safety recommendations to avoid similar accidents.
Badeh said the Bureau had made significant progress on maritime investigations after deploying dedicated maritime investigators and specialized investigative software.
There are several reports on maritime matters at the stakeholder-review phase and about four reports are ready for release once the concerned stakeholders submit their comments.
The development had helped address some of the delays experienced when aviation investigators were largely responsible for maritime investigations, he said.
But Badeh said the Bureau was still hampered by insufficient funding and lack of specialized equipment.
The absence of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) was a big shortfall, he said, as such equipment was required to assist investigators recover evidence and bodies from sunken ships, particularly in waterways with poor underwater visibility.
The increasing responsibilities of NSIB for aviation, rail and maritime transport were largely funded by aviation-related revenue, which put a strain on its resources and contributed to budget constraints.
Badeh was optimistic that the repositioning of NSIB to the Presidency thru the Office of the National Security Adviser would help address some of its institutional and funding challenges.
He said the NSIB had around 407 employes at the moment but needed more people with specialized expertise on aviation, maritime and rail accident investigations.
The Bureau was focusing on training and upskilling existing staff, he said, while plans to recruit additional specialists would depend on available funding and other institutional considerations.
Badeh said the Bureau was intensifying cooperation with regulatory and law-enforcement agencies, emphasizing that NSIB was created to complement their work, not to compete or replace them.
He said the Bureau was working with agencies like the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and railroad authorities to improve safety in the country’s transport system.
He said the Bureau was involved in a formal Memorandum of Understanding with NIWA, in a bid to reduce accidents and fatalities on Nigeria’s inland waterways.
Speaking about the general state of transport safety, Badeh said, “I am not happy with the recent development in aviation, especially after the VMO Aero and Enugu Air incidents which are still under investigation.
But he pointed to a reduction in the number of major incidents involving tankers and improvements in road safety.
“The NSIB will continue to strengthen its technical capacity, improve access to modern investigative equipment and deepen collaboration with interested parties to make the nation’s transport system safer,” he said.
