Key federal agencies and security institutions has endorsed the Federal Government’s new framework repositioning the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) as an independent multimodal accident investigation agency reporting directly to the Presidency through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
The high-level stakeholder engagement took place recently at the Joint Intelligence Board Hall of the ONSA in Abuja.
It brought together officials from the aviation, maritime, rail, road transport and security sectors to discuss implementation of the new reporting structure approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in March 2026.
The reform effectively removes the NSIB from its previous supervisory oversight under the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
The meeting was chaired by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, while the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit, Hadiza Bala Usman, served as co-chairperson.
Representatives at the meeting included officials from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Federal Ministry of Justice, Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigerian Railway Corporation, National Inland Waterways Authority, Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority,
Others include, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Nigeria Police Force, National Emergency Management Agency, the Armed Forces and other transport and security institutions.
Stakeholders described the reform as a strategic response to the growing complexity of transportation-related incidents, many of which increasingly intersect with national security, emergency management and infrastructure protection concerns.
Director-General of the NSIB, Alex Badeh Jr., said the transition to direct presidential oversight would strengthen transparency, operational independence and inter-agency cooperation.
“Our responsibility remains preventive, not punitive. The Bureau determines probable causes of accidents, identifies systemic safety gaps, and issues recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences. We do not regulate, prosecute, or apportion blame,” Badeh said.
He explained that the new arrangement would improve occurrence notification timelines, evidence preservation and coordinated response during investigations involving multiple agencies or incidents with broader national security implications.
Badeh also recalled operational challenges encountered during previous investigations, including delays in accessing critical data and jurisdictional overlaps during transport occurrence investigations conducted between late 2025 and early 2026.
Speaking at the engagement, Ribadu said the Presidency approved the restructuring to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks, strengthen investigative neutrality and improve coordination within the national transportation safety framework.
According to him, ONSA would provide institutional coordination and oversight support, especially in investigations involving systemic failures or operational lapses connected to sectoral agencies.
He stressed that an independent reporting structure was necessary to preserve public confidence, professional transparency and neutrality in accident investigations.
Ribadu further disclosed that steps were already underway to amend the NSIB Establishment Act 2022 to align with the new governance structure, with the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation expected to lead a technical drafting committee involving relevant stakeholders.
In her remarks, Hadiza Bala Usman said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to reposition the NSIB under the Presidency aligns with international best practices in transportation accident investigation.
She noted that the reform mirrors operational models adopted by agencies such as the National Transportation Safety Board in the United States, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada and France’s Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses pour la Sécurité de l’Aviation Civile.
Among the resolutions reached at the meeting were plans to develop inter-agency standard operating procedures within 30 days, establish memoranda of understanding within 60 days and commence legislative amendments needed for full implementation of the framework.
The stakeholders unanimously endorsed the reform and pledged deeper collaboration through coordinated response mechanisms and institutional partnerships aimed at strengthening transportation safety investigations across the country.
The development is expected to reinforce Nigeria’s accident investigation architecture amid growing concerns over gaps in emergency response coordination and safety enforcement across transportation sectors.
