NSIB Warns TSC Reduction Will Undermine Safety, Seeks Sustainable Funding for Multimodal Operations  

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has warned that the proposed reduction of its share of the Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) could undermine accident investigations and safety operations, as the Bureau intensifies efforts to expand its mandate beyond aviation to Nigeria’s maritime, rail and road transport sectors.

The NSIB Director-General, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., gave the warning during a virtual media briefing on the Bureau’s activities in the first half of 2026, where he also outlined reforms aimed at strengthening the agency’s independence, investigative capacity and implementation of safety recommendations.

The proposed funding reduction followed a public hearing by the House of Representatives, where the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) advocated a reduction in NSIB’s allocation from six per cent to four per cent as part of broader discussions on aviation sector funding.

The five per cent TSC is collected through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), with NSIB currently receiving six per cent of the allocation to aviation agencies, while the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) receives seven per cent.

Badeh expressed concern over the proposal, saying NSIB already receives the lowest percentage among the agencies benefiting from the allocation despite its expanding responsibilities.

“We get the lowest percentage of all the agencies, actually. And with this proposed reduction, of course, it’s going to negatively affect the NSIB,” he said.

According to him, the Bureau has also been experiencing shortfalls in its existing allocation, with the full six per cent reportedly not received since around April or May.

He, however, said the funding challenges had not stopped NSIB from conducting investigations or expanding its multimodal capabilities.

“We are working on a more sustainable funded formula for the NSIB. I’m not sure what that’s going to look like yet, but we are talking with the NRS and the Presidency to figure this out,” Badeh said.

He explained that the funding challenge goes beyond the proposed TSC reduction, noting that the Bureau is also pursuing statutory funds expected from other transport agencies.

According to him, NSIB has not received applicable funds from the Nigerian Railway Corporation, while the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has disputed its obligation to remit certain charges.

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He, however, commended the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for its cooperation, saying NSIB receives five per cent of the Passenger Service Charge from the agency.

Badeh said the wider funding debate raises questions about whether statutory funding arrangements across Nigeria’s transport sector are working as intended, particularly as the Bureau’s mandate continues to expand.

He argued that the purpose of accident investigation should not be determined by the transport mode that generates the revenue, stressing that Nigerians use aircraft, trains, roads and waterways.

“If you think safety is expensive, try an accident,” he declared.

The NSIB boss said reducing resources available for accident investigation could affect the Bureau’s ability to investigate incidents, produce safety recommendations and prevent similar accidents from recurring.

He explained that the Bureau’s primary responsibility is not to apportion blame but to identify systemic failures and issue recommendations capable of preventing future accidents.

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“Our job is not to apportion blame but to prevent future accidents,” he said.

Badeh said Nigeria’s aviation sector demonstrates the value of independent accident investigation, noting that although the country recorded several aviation incidents during the first half of 2026, none resulted in fatalities.

He attributed the improvement partly to the implementation of safety recommendations issued from previous investigations.

“Most of the accidents or incidents we’ve investigated haven’t reoccurred because operators are implementing our recommendations,” he said.

To ensure safety recommendations are properly implemented rather than left in files, the Bureau is establishing a dedicated Office of Safety Recommendations to monitor compliance by regulators and operators across all transport modes.

It has also introduced new coding systems for safety recommendations to improve tracking and accountability.

Badeh further defended the impartiality of the NSIB during accident investigations and dismissed suggestions that airlines deliberately frustrate investigators.

He acknowledged that overwritten cockpit voice and flight data recorders had occasionally complicated investigations but said the NSIB and NCAA had intensified industry sensitisation on the need to preserve critical evidence after incidents.

“I don’t think the airlines are going out of their way to destroy evidence,” he said, stressing that preservation of flight data remains critical to determining the true causes of accidents.

The Bureau’s expanded responsibilities have also resulted in the development of specialised investigative capacity across other modes of transportation.

Badeh said NSIB now has about six maritime accident investigators whose capacity has been strengthened through specialised training. He added that the Bureau is also bringing international experts to Nigeria to train investigators locally.

The Bureau has equally expanded its road accident investigation capacity, with investigators working on several road crashes, including the accident involving former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua.

Badeh said reports on some of the road and maritime investigations have been completed and are awaiting stakeholder responses before the final findings are published.

He disclosed that several maritime investigation reports are currently awaiting stakeholder feedback, while collaborations with the Nigerian Navy, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), NIMASA, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Nigerian Railway Corporation are improving accident response and evidence gathering across the country.

The NSIB’s expanded mandate is taking place alongside its transition from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to the Presidency.

Badeh said the transfer is substantially complete, with legislative amendments still being processed. He explained that the amendments are awaiting the Attorney-General before proceeding to the Federal Executive Council and National Assembly.

Although the legislative process is ongoing, he said the Bureau already reports to the Presidency through the Office of the National Security Adviser.

According to him, the transfer has strengthened NSIB’s operational independence by allowing its investigators to examine accidents involving government agencies without fear of interference.

He described the Bureau as a young institution whose responsibilities have grown significantly beyond its traditional aviation focus, stressing that funding must therefore match its wider mandate.

“The world has moved on, Nigeria’s moved on. We should look at it that same way,” he said.

Badeh maintained that the same Nigerian population uses the country’s roads, waterways, railways and aviation system, making a fragmented approach to safety funding difficult to justify.

He said the Bureau’s priority is therefore to establish a sustainable funding structure that will enable it to perform its responsibilities without depending on uncertain or delayed revenue flows.

Looking ahead, the NSIB Director-General said the Bureau is targeting the completion of outstanding investigation reports within 12 months, strengthening family assistance programmes, concluding key inter-agency agreements and deepening collaboration with transport regulators.

The Bureau also plans to organise specialised training for transport journalists before the end of the year.

Badeh said discussions with the Presidency and other relevant authorities on a sustainable funding model are continuing, with the Bureau hoping for greater funding certainty in the next budget cycle.

He stressed that despite its financial challenges, NSIB would continue to discharge its mandate of investigating accidents, identifying safety deficiencies and issuing recommendations aimed at saving lives across Nigeria’s transport sector.