The Director General of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Alex Badeh Jr., has implored the Federal Government to support the critical role the NSIB plays in ensuring the safety and security of the country’s transportation networks.

The DG said this at the re-opening of the NSIB Lagos Regional Office while emphasising the value of human life and the importance of public safety.

He appealed for increased financial support to enable the bureau to effectively fulfil its mandate, conduct thorough investigations, enhance safety standards, and contribute meaningfully to advancing transportation safety across Nigeria.

He said: “We continue to face significant challenges in fulfilling our mandate, notably securing the necessary funding to support our operations. The non-compliance with the NSIB Establishment Act of 2022 by the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Railway Commission (NRC) in remitting the statutorily required percentages of their revenue to NSIB has severely impacted our ability to conduct comprehensive multi-modal accident investigations.”

After the demolition of the NSIB’s former office by the previous administration and a difficult three-year period in which the Bureau’s ability to operate in Lagos was significantly hindered, Badeh lamented the inability to provide effective services to the transport sector because of the lack of physical presence at the critical location.

“When I was appointed Director General of the NSIB in December 2023, I was met with many unfinished tasks at the Bureau. Employee morale was low, and there were teeming requests and competing demands. As a non-revenue-generating agency, we have grappled with limited government funding and bureaucratic inefficiencies,” he added.

Appreciating the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, for facilitating the necessary funding from the ministry’s operating budget and making the vision of the new office a reality, he said that the re-opening of the Lagos office symbolises the Bureau’s resilience and steadfast commitment to transportation safety.

“Lagos is very important in the aviation sector,” the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, stated at the ribbon-cutting ceremony while reminiscing over the demolition of the former NSIB office, which, according to him, was a functional office “demolished for no reason.”

Expressing his awe at the new office, the minister thanked the directors of the NSIB for their hard work and for putting the mission of the bureau at heart.

From a historical perspective since the establishment of the Bureau, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, Bimbo Oladeji, said that the Bureau, under the leadership of Badeh, “has implemented a series of engagements and initiatives, including partnerships with government institutions and private sector partners, promoting bilateral relations, and collaborating with international organisations,” emphasising the need for increased support of stakeholders across the country.