‘Ticket Charge Cut Will Affect NSIB Operations’

The director-general of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Captain Alex Badeh Jr., has warned that the proposed reduction of the Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) from six per cent to four per cent could affect the agency’s ability to effectively discharge its expanding transport safety investigation mandate.

Badeh made the disclosure on Friday during a media chat with journalists in Abuja, stressing that the Bureau is currently handling a growing volume of investigations across Nigeria’s aviation, rail and maritime sectors.

According to him, the NSIB’s responsibilities have expanded significantly beyond aviation accident investigation, requiring increased funding, specialised equipment, technical expertise and deployment of investigators across the country.

He said the proposed adjustment in the funding arrangement was therefore a matter of concern, given the Bureau’s expanding statutory responsibilities.

The funding issue comes amid discussions over the sharing formula for the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and Cargo Sales Charge (CSC) collected within the aviation sector and distributed among relevant agencies.

Despite the funding concerns, the NSIB has continued to strengthen its multimodal safety investigation capacity, with seven major accident and serious-incident investigations currently ongoing across aviation, rail and maritime transportation.

The investigations cover some of the country’s recent significant transport incidents, including the Arik Air B737-700 engine anomaly; Rigasa-Idu passenger train incident; MV Maersk Valparaiso/MT Lady Martina collision; Warri-Itakpe train derailment; VMO Aero roadway landing near Asaba; Benue River boat accident; and the Enugu Air E170 runway excursion at Benin.

The Bureau said the investigations are aimed at independently establishing what happened, identifying contributing factors and developing safety recommendations capable of preventing similar occurrences.

In the aviation sector, NSIB investigators are working on the Arik Air B737-700 engine anomaly, VMO Aero roadway landing near Asaba and the Enugu Air E170 runway excursion at Benin.

The investigations are examining factors including aircraft operations, technical conditions, crew actions, airport infrastructure and environmental circumstances.

The Bureau is also investigating the Rigasa-Idu passenger train incident and Warri-Itakpe train derailment as part of its expanding rail safety mandate.

On the maritime side, investigations are ongoing into the MV Maersk Valparaiso/MT Lady Martina collision and the Benue River boat accident.

The Benue River accident, which occurred in June 2026 at Wadata and claimed 11 lives, prompted the immediate deployment of an NSIB investigation team, alongside an on-the-spot safety assessment and activation of family assistance protocols.

Badeh also said the Bureau’s objective goes beyond determining the circumstances surrounding accidents.
He explained that NSIB investigations are not primarily designed to apportion blame but to identify systemic weaknesses and provide recommendations that can improve safety across the transport sector.

The Bureau is consequently placing greater emphasis on evidence gathering, technical analysis, human factors, data recovery and effective implementation of safety recommendations.

The NSIB has also intensified collaboration with other transport agencies to ensure that relevant safety information is shared and recommendations arising from investigations are properly followed up.

As part of its efforts to improve investigative capacity, the Bureau has expanded technical cooperation with international safety investigation organisations.

In February 2026, the NSIB engaged the United Kingdom’s Rail Accident Investigation Branch in Derby, with discussions covering investigation methodology, evidence handling, human factors, data recovery, investigator training, digital case management and safety recommendation processes.

In April, the NSIB and Sierra Leone Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Bureau formalised a Memorandum of Understanding covering joint investigations, technical expertise exchange, investigator training, flight recorder analysis, safety-data sharing and deployment of specialist teams.

The Bureau is also working with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on marine casualty notification, emergency response coordination, evidence preservation, investigator capacity building and implementation of safety recommendations.

It has equally commenced structured engagement with the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to strengthen investigations and improve safety standards on Nigeria’s waterways.

Despite the seven ongoing investigations, the NSIB said it has already released eight reports in 2026, comprising preliminary, interim and final reports involving Arik Air, Flybird, Max Air, Skypower Express, Azman Air, Caverton Helicopters, Dornier Aviation Nigeria and VMO Aero.

The reports are expected to provide safety lessons and recommendations for operators, regulators and other stakeholders across the transport sector.

For the second half of 2026, the Bureau has prioritised the completion of the seven ongoing investigations and publication of the corresponding reports.

It will also deepen its rail and maritime investigation capabilities, strengthen family assistance protocols and expand public access to safety information.