Joke Falaju, Abuja
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has unveiled three draft regulations to integrate a safety framework in the rail, maritime, and aviation sectors.
The framework was aimed at harmonising safety standards and enhancing collaborative investigation protocols across all modes of transportation.
NSIB Director General Captain Alex Badeh presented the proposed regulation at a Multimodal Transportation Stakeholders’ Workshop on Thursday in Abuja, with the theme “Strengthening transport safety standards through collaboration.”
The stakeholder workshop was attended by industry leaders, policymakers, safety experts, and government officials from the aviation, marine, rail, and road sectors to map out the future of Nigeria’s transportation safety framework.
The DG explained that the initial draft on Railway Investigation of Accidents and Incidents Regulations was proposed as a systematic approach for examining rail accidents and near-misses, adding that it also detailed robust procedures for evidence-based investigations, ensuring that each incident is thoroughly analysed with the goal of producing actionable safety recommendations.
He added that the framework would ensure that rail accidents are treated with the urgency and depth they deserve, with the ultimate goal of preventing recurrence.
Highlighting the second draft of Maritime Safety Investigation Regulations, he stated that the proposed regulation aims to improve transparency, accountability, and modernisation in handling maritime incidents.
He added that it was designed to bring greater transparency, accountability, and modernised procedures to the investigation of accidents in Nigeria’s inland and coastal waterways and port operations, and that the regulation was expected to foster trust and compliance in the maritime ecosystem.
The DG mentioned that the third regulation was a revised version of the Civil Aviation investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents Regulations, aimed at integrating emerging technologies, global lessons, and stakeholder feedback.
He added that the draft aligns with Nigeria’s aviation investigation procedures and international standards while enhancing readiness and responsiveness in air transport. “By modernising this framework, we are better prepared to respond to aviation incidents and strengthen public confidence in the sector,” he said.
Captain Badeh explained that the drafts were prepared after months of thorough work, based on accident data, international best practices, and extensive stakeholder consultations. He described the drafts as key instruments for establishing a unified, intermodal transport safety framework in Nigeria.
He said, “Our primary objective is to foster open dialogue, exchange insights, and collectively refine the frameworks that safeguard lives and infrastructure in aviation, maritime, and railway sectors.”
A former Managing Director of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, Mr. Dennis Jones, former MD of Nigerian Railway Corporation, Engr. Seyi Sijuwade, and former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba (Rtd.), during the workshop emphasised the urgent need for deliberate collaboration across government agencies, private operators, and regulatory bodies to address systemic gaps, share safety intelligence, and build a unified framework for reducing transport-related incidents in Nigeria.
The Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji, in his remarks, called on states to support the phasing out of unsafe wooden boats and to adopt modern, high-capacity ferries. “Our waterways are not just corridors for commerce, but lifelines for many communities. Safety on water is integral to our national development,” he stated.
