The proposed TSC reduction for the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has drawn a strong warning from its Director-General, Captain Alex Badeh. He said cutting the Bureau’s six per cent share to four per cent would negatively affect accident investigations and safety operations. His position follows a public hearing by the House of Representatives, where the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) pushed for the reduction as part of wider discussions on aviation sector funding.
The dispute concerns the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) collected through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). From the aviation agencies’ allocation, NSIB currently receives six per cent, while the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) receives seven per cent. NAMA is seeking to reduce NSIB’s portion from six per cent to four per cent, effectively creating room for a larger allocation for itself.
TSC reduction raises fresh safety funding concerns
Speaking during an interaction with journalists, Captain Badeh questioned the rationale behind the proposed TSC reduction. He said NSIB already receives the lowest percentage among the agencies benefiting from the allocation, despite its expanding responsibility across aviation, maritime, rail and road transport.
“We get the lowest percentage of all the agencies, actually,” the NSIB Director-General said. “And with this proposed reduction, of course, it’s going to negatively affect the NSIB.” He added that the Bureau is already experiencing shortfalls in its existing allocation, making another reduction particularly concerning.
The funding issue comes as NSIB continues its transition from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to the Presidency. Captain Badeh said the move is substantially complete, with legislative amendments awaiting the Attorney-General and subsequent consideration by the Federal Executive Council and National Assembly. The House previously approved the legislative framework for moving the Bureau to the Presidency.
NSIB already facing funding shortfalls
Captain Badeh further disclosed that NSIB has not received its full six per cent allocation since around April or May. However, he said the shortfall has not stopped the Bureau from conducting investigations or expanding its multimodal capabilities.
“We are working on a more sustainable funded formula for the NSIB,” he said. “I’m not sure what that’s going to look like yet, but we are talking with the NRS and the Presidency to figure this out.” He said the objective is to develop a funding structure capable of supporting NSIB beyond its present financial difficulties.
The Bureau is also pursuing funds expected from other transport agencies. Captain Badeh said NSIB has not received applicable funds from the Nigerian Railway Corporation, while NIMASA has disputed its obligation to remit certain charges. Meanwhile, he praised the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria for its cooperation, saying NSIB receives five per cent of the Passenger Service Charge from FAAN.
The wider funding debate is therefore not limited to the TSC reduction. It also involves whether statutory funding arrangements across Nigeria’s transport sector are working as intended. FAAN’s legislation recognises passenger service charges among the revenues accruing to its fund.
‘If safety is expensive, try an accident’
Captain Alex Badeh said arguments for redistributing the funding based on transport modes overlook the purpose of accident investigation. He said Nigerians use every transport mode, meaning safety funding should ultimately be viewed as serving the same citizens.
“If you think safety is expensive, try an accident,” the NSIB Director-General said. He argued that reducing resources for accident investigation could undermine the Bureau’s ability to investigate incidents, produce safety recommendations and help prevent future accidents.
The argument is significant because NSIB is no longer operating solely within aviation. Captain Alex Badeh said the Bureau now has about six maritime accident investigators and has strengthened their capacity through specialised training. He added that NSIB is bringing international experts into Nigeria to train investigators locally.
The Bureau has also expanded its road investigation capacity. Captain Alex Badeh said NSIB investigators have worked on several road crashes, including the accident involving Anthony Joshua. He said the Bureau has also completed reports on other incidents and is awaiting stakeholder responses before publishing the final findings.
Funding must match NSIB’s wider mandate
Captain Alex Badeh said the TSC reduction would be especially problematic because NSIB is a young agency carrying a rapidly expanding mandate. He said the Bureau is trying to move beyond its traditional aviation-investigation mindset while developing expertise across multiple transport sectors.
He also rejected the argument that funding should depend on which transport mode generates the revenue. According to him, the same Nigerian population uses aircraft, trains, roads and waterways, making a fragmented approach to safety funding difficult to justify.
“The world has moved on, Nigeria’s moved on,” Captain Alex Badeh said. “We should look at it that same way.” He argued that Nigeria should focus on a sustainable structure that allows NSIB to perform its responsibilities without relying on uncertain funding flows.
The proposed TSC reduction therefore creates a wider policy question for lawmakers. If NSIB’s mandate is expanding across transport modes, reducing its existing aviation funding could create a mismatch between responsibility and resources.
For the Bureau, the immediate preference is a sustainable funding formula rather than further reductions. Captain Alex Badeh said discussions with the Presidency and other authorities are continuing, with hopes that the next budget cycle will provide greater certainty.
