The Federal Government is reportedly considering transferring the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) from the Ministry of Aviation to the Presidency, under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
The proposal, which has garnered attention from key stakeholders and federal lawmakers, is aimed at strengthening the independence, neutrality, and funding of the NSIB — the country’s sole multimodal safety investigation agency tasked with probing incidents across air, land, and maritime domains.
Sources within the Ministries of Transportation and Marine and Blue Economy disclosed to ireport247news.com that momentum is building within the National Assembly to detach the bureau from the Aviation Ministry. Advocates argue that such a move would eliminate institutional bias and ensure that investigations are not influenced by the agencies they are meant to scrutinize.
“Why should an agency responsible for investigating accidents across three ministries be domiciled under one of the ministries?” a federal lawmaker questioned. “This is about institutional independence and integrity.”
Despite widespread support, the Ministry of Aviation has opposed the proposal. At a recent joint public hearing of the House Committees on Special Duties and Aviation, the Permanent Secretary of the Aviation Ministry, Dr. Abubakar Kana, speaking on behalf of Minister Festus Keyamo, argued that the bureau should remain within the ministry but be given greater legal and operational autonomy.
“We recommend that the NSIB remain under the Federal Ministry of Aviation, with enhanced legal frameworks to support its functional independence,” said Kana.
Conversely, the Presidency — through the OSGF — maintains that relocating the bureau would enhance national coordination. Gagare Nadungu, Permanent Secretary for Political and Economic Affairs at the OSGF, stated that the presidency offers a neutral oversight platform capable of boosting transparency and trust in investigative outcomes.
“Bringing the NSIB under the presidency would not only promote independence but also improve coordination across sectors and agencies,” Nadungu noted.
Stakeholders backing the transition point to global standards, citing the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which operates independently and reports directly to the President or Congress. In other advanced nations, accident investigation bodies are either attached to ministries of transportation or function as standalone institutions with presidential oversight.
Dr. Onwusoro Maduka, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, also emphasized the importance of autonomy for accident probes.
“For transparency and credibility, the NSIB must be structurally insulated from ministerial control,” he stressed.
Abiodun Akinlade, Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation Technology and sponsor of the legislative bill proposing the agency’s transfer, stated his support would align with public consensus.
“We held a public hearing and heard diverse views. Ultimately, the will of the Nigerian people will prevail,” Akinlade told our correspondent.
Established to provide detailed, factual reports on the causes of transport-related accidents, the NSIB plays a critical role in Nigeria’s safety ecosystem. Yet, concerns have persisted over limited funding, operational delays, and potential conflicts of interest.
If approved, the bureau’s relocation to the presidency could mark a major shift in how safety investigations are managed and reported, sending a strong message on transparency, accountability, and good governance under the Tinubu administration.
As the debate continues, stakeholders await the National Assembly’s final decision — one that could set a precedent for institutional independence across other regulatory bodies in Nigeria.