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The Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development has opposed plans by the National Assembly to relocate the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) from its current location under the ministry to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
The ministry made its position known during a public hearing organised by the joint committee on Special Duties and Aviation on Wednesday in Abuja.
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Representing the ministry, the Permanent Secretary, Abubakar Kana, urged lawmakers to retain the bureau under the aviation ministry, while strengthening its operational framework to guarantee functional independence.
“I recommend that the National Assembly and its relevant stakeholders should please retain the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau within the Federal Ministry of Aviation,” Mr Kana told the committee.
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He added, “We further recommend strengthening subsequent provisions that guarantee its functional independence where necessary.”
The proposed relocation is part of a legislative amendment to the NSIB Establishment Act, which seeks to reposition the bureau under the presidency for greater efficiency and autonomy.
Why lawmakers want NSIB under OSGF
The amendment bill, sponsored by Akinlade Isiaq (APC, Ogun), aims to address what he described as structural limitations hindering the bureau’s effectiveness.
Mr Isiaq argued that the bureau’s current placement within the aviation ministry undermines its ability to function independently and impedes its inter-agency coordination role across Nigeria’s multi-modal transport sector.
He said the NSIB lacks the independence necessary for impartial and credible investigations, and its current structure, tied to a single ministry, restricts its operational autonomy and raises questions about objectivity.
The lawmaker also pointed out that multiple agencies such as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), and Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) attempt to carry out accident investigation roles while still serving as regulators in their respective sectors. This overlap, he explained, creates conflicts with the NSIB’s mandate and results in inefficiencies.
He further argued that NSIB’s limited access to high-level decision-making has affected its ability to swiftly resolve inter-agency conflicts and implement safety recommendations. Reporting through a single ministry, he said, deprives the bureau of the executive authority required for prompt action.
According to Mr Isiaq, this structure also falls short of international expectations. He referenced bodies such as the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), which advocate independent investigative institutions.
He cited countries like the United States, Australia, Japan, and Canada, where such bodies are autonomous and directly report to the presidency or an equivalent authority. This, he said, enhances credibility, ensures efficient collaboration, and strengthens enforcement of safety regulations across all transportation sectors.
He insisted that independence from ministerial control would improve transparency and public confidence in the bureau’s findings. He also emphasised that direct reporting to the presidency would facilitate faster resource allocation, reduce bureaucratic delays, and allow the NSIB to function in a more cost-effective and coordinated manner.
Others back relocation
The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) expressed strong support for the proposed move.
Represented by its Permanent Secretary for Political and Economic Affairs, Gagare Nadungu, the office described the relocation as a timely and necessary reform.
Mr Nadungu said that transferring the NSIB to the presidency would provide the bureau with the neutrality and independence required for credible investigations.
He said the OSGF is uniquely positioned to offer administrative support across all transport sectors – aviation, rail, maritime and road unlike any single line ministry.
He noted that domiciling the bureau under the OSGF would eliminate the risks of institutional bias, improve cross-sectoral policy coordination, and provide the bureau with executive-level support. The move, he argued, would increase the bureau’s visibility and ensure faster implementation of safety recommendations.
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He also pledged the OSGF’s commitment to working with lawmakers to ensure a strong and practical legal framework for the agency, with emphasis on capacity-building, partnerships, digital systems, and regional cooperation.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties, Onwusoro Maduka, also supported the move, stating that relocating the bureau aligns with global best practices and would strengthen the credibility of its findings.
He noted that autonomy would ensure the bureau remains free from sectoral influences and that his ministry was ready to facilitate dialogue among the aviation ministry, the presidency, and other stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the amended law.
About the NSIB
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) was established by the NSIB (Establishment) Act No. 35 of 2022 as the successor to the former Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB).
It serves as Nigeria’s primary multimodal transport investigation body, responsible for investigating accidents across aviation, maritime, rail, and road transport sectors.
Initially domiciled under the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the bureau is now at the centre of a legislative proposal to relocate it to the OSGF, a move proponents say would grant it greater neutrality, functional independence, and institutional strength.
