A fresh row has broken out between the Ministry of Aviation and lawmakers over who should control Nigeria’s accident investigation agency.
At the heart of the dispute is a proposed amendment to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) Act, which seeks to move the agency from the ministry to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). The ministry is not having it.
Speaking on behalf of the Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, the Permanent Secretary, Ibrahim Kana, told the House of Representatives at a public hearing on Wednesday that the plan is dangerous and unnecessary.
“The NSIB is a multi-sector transport safety agency, yes,” Kana said. “But its backbone is aviation. That’s where its training, standards, and international recognition come from.”
The hearing, organised by the House Committees on Aviation and Special Duties, focused on a bill to review the NSIB Act No. 35 of 2022.
Kana warned that pulling the Bureau out of aviation oversight could damage Nigeria’s international safety reputation and complicate the country’s response to transport disasters.
He said, “Moving it to the SGF’s office may politicise safety investigations, create new layers of red tape, and break the technical alignment with global bodies like ICAO.”
He stressed that the Bureau’s independence is already guaranteed under current law. “Principal officers are appointed directly by the President. Their work doesn’t need political supervision,” he said.
The ministry also listed what it called clear benefits of leaving the NSIB under aviation control. These include faster emergency responses, access to technical expertise, better coordination with international partners, and fewer bureaucratic delays.
“We’re open to reforms,” Kana added. “But not the kind that will weaken transport safety or put lives at risk.”
Chairman of the House Committee on Special Duties, Agbedi Frederick, said the hearing was meant to improve, not politicise, transport safety.
“This is a platform for dialogue,” Agbedi said. “What we do here will shape the future of accident investigations in Nigeria. Everyone’s input counts.”
Lawmakers are expected to weigh all submissions before moving forward with the amendment process. For now, the aviation ministry says it’s staying firm.
“The NSIB belongs in aviation,” Kana insisted. “That’s where it was built, and that’s where it works best.”
