BY ANTHONY OMOH
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has released its Investigation Performance Report for the period between December 2024 and June 2025, outlining measurable progress in air safety investigations and regional cooperation.
According to the bureau’s half-year report, NSIB received 278 occurrence reports, including those related to Air Traffic Services (ATS). Of these, 64 were bird strike incidents, reflecting a continued pattern of environmental hazards affecting Nigerian airspace.
The NSIB safety investigation report was presented on Day Two of the 12th Commission Meeting of the Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA), hosted in Abuja from July 28 to 29, 2025. The forum drew participation from heads of accident investigation agencies from Ghana, The Gambia, Liberia, Cape Verde, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, with discussions focused on enhancing coordination and tackling emerging aviation safety threats.
During the reporting period, NSIB initiated four new investigations, bringing the total number of ongoing cases to 28, all at various stages of review.
The agency also released six Final Reports—comprising one non-fatal accident and five serious incidents. In 2025 alone, four Preliminary Reports have been published, two of which led to immediate safety recommendations aimed at preventing recurrence.
In addition to these activities, NSIB is hosting its inaugural Multimodal Transport Stakeholders’ Workshop, themed “Strengthening Transport Safety Through Collaboration.” The workshop brings together policymakers, labour unions, startups, volunteers, and academic institutions working across land, air, rail, and maritime sectors to contribute ideas for comprehensive transport safety reforms.
Delivering the welcome address at the BAGAIA meeting’s opening session, Captain Alex Badeh Jr, Director General of NSIB, stressed the importance of unity in tackling aviation challenges across borders.
“Cooperation among member states is not just a goal but the foundation of our success,” Badeh said. “Aviation incidents transcend borders and demand seamless collaboration. We must move as one.”
He highlighted Nigeria’s support to Liberia’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and ongoing assistance to Ghana in developing a flight data analysis laboratory as practical examples of regional commitments turned into outcomes.
On the international scene, NSIB is currently involved in two foreign-led investigations. In Liberia, it is acting as the State of the Operator for a U.S.-registered aircraft that experienced a serious incident at Roberts International Airport. In a second case at Cairo International Airport, NSIB is serving as both State of Registry and Operator for a serious incident involving a Nigerian-registered aircraft.
To ensure quality reporting, NSIB is preparing for a technical retreat to review ten draft final reports before formal submission to relevant states and stakeholders. This process is aligned with ICAO Article 13, Section 6.3, which mandates internal review and stakeholder input.
With the NSIB safety investigation report and its strategic role in BAGAIA and beyond, Nigeria continues to lead aviation safety and multimodal collaboration efforts across the West African subregion.
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