The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Capt. Alex Badeh Jnr, has warned that any reduction in the Bureau's allocation from the five percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) could undermine aviation safety and weaken Nigeria's accident investigation capability.
Speaking during a virtual media parley with aviation journalists, Badeh said the NSIB already receives the lowest allocation of the five aviation agencies that share TSC revenue and should not face further cuts. Under the formula set out in the Nigeria Civil Aviation Act 2022, the NCAA receives 56 percent of the charge, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) 22 percent, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) nine percent, the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology seven percent, and the NSIB six percent.
A Proposal Before the National Assembly
A bill before the National Assembly seeks to amend the formula by reducing the NCAA's share from 56 to 40 percent while raising NAMA's allocation from 22 to 40 percent, a proposal that has divided aviation agencies, unions and industry stakeholders. Badeh said calls in some quarters for a further reduction in the NSIB's share, on the grounds that its mandate now extends beyond aviation into maritime and rail safety, would be counterproductive.
"As it stands, we get the lowest of all the agencies from the TSC. I don't know the rationale behind the call for the downward review," Badeh said. "If you say safety is expensive, try an accident."
Outstanding Remittances
Badeh also disclosed that the Bureau has yet to receive statutory revenues owed to it from other transport sectors. The NSIB is entitled to three percent of the earnings of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, he said, despite having begun safety investigation work in the maritime sector, and the Nigerian Railway Corporation has likewise not remitted the six percent share due to the Bureau. He said the NSIB was preparing a memorandum of understanding with the maritime agency to formalise their working relationship, and expressed optimism that the Bureau's recent move under the Presidency, through the Office of the National Security Adviser, would improve compliance across government agencies.
Nine Reports Released in 2026
The NSIB boss disclosed that the Bureau had released nine interim, preliminary and final accident and incident investigation reports so far in 2026, with more expected before year end. He said the Bureau would continue publishing findings in line with established protocols, stressing that the purpose of accident investigation is to identify safety deficiencies and prevent recurrence rather than to apportion blame.