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LAGOS – The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has unveiled two critical regulatory frameworks aimed at adopting a unified culture of safety across the nation’s transport infrastructure.
A statement by Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance, NSIB, said that the bureau as part of its strategic vision, was on the verge of finalising the NSIB Casualty Investigation Regulations for the maritime mode of transport and the rail and track accident investigation regulations for the rail sector.
The statement hinted that these instruments were tailored to Nigeria’s operating realities while drawing strength from international best practices.
NSIB said that the maritime regulations aligned with the International Maritime Orgnisation (IMO) Casualty Investigation Code, establishing a standardised process for investigating accidents on inland waterways, ports, and Nigerian-flagged vessels.
Also, the rail investigation regulations are being developed with due consideration for the unique operational structure and geographic scope of the Nigerian railway system, while referencing international norms in rail safety investigation.
Capt. Alex Badeh Jnr, Director General, NSIB, emphasised that these developments build upon the NSIB’s successful alignment with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex 13 for air accident investigation.
Badeh Jnr, said that the ICAO Annex 13 had guided aviation safety improvement worldwide and continued to inform Nigeria’s aviation sector reforms.
Badeh Jnr, said the NSIB intended to adopt a harmonised, mode-agnostic approach with the aim of creating a united culture of safety in all the modes of transportation in the country.
Badeh Jnr, expressed that the goal was not just to investigate accidents, but to also ensure that every finding and every safety recommendation became a cornerstone for safer transportation in Nigeria.
“Our regulations are not only about compliance; they are about relevance, relevance to our waterways, rail systems, and the millions of Nigerians who depend on them daily.
“Crucially, the development of these regulations has been rooted in inclusive consultation, incorporating field visits to jetties, inland waterways, ports, and rail infrastructure across Nigeria. This practical engagement ensures the regulations are adaptable, devoid of theoretical ambiguities, and fully responsive to Nigeria’s transport landscape.”
However, while NSIB remained responsible for conducting independent investigations and issuing safety recommendations, the responsibility for implementation lies with other critical agencies, he added.
He, therefore, called on stakeholders such as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Shippers Council, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), and the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to begin proactively building internal capacity for the adoption and implementation of NSIB safety recommendations.
“Safety recommendations are not mere reports; they are calls to action. The effectiveness of any investigation is measured not by how well it is written but by how well it is implemented. We urge our partner agencies to view this as a shared mission for national safety,” he added.
The NSIB believed that lessons learnt from marine, rail, and air accidents must not be siloed, rather used to form a national benchmark for proactive safety strategies.
In the coming weeks, as these regulations are finalised and presented to stakeholders, the bureau would continue to sensitise agencies and the public about their roles in transforming Nigeria’s transport safety landscape, he said.
NSIB with its expanded mandate as enshrined in the NSIB Act 2022 is pioneering a new era of multimodal safety oversight, underpinned by globally recognised investigative practices and a clear mission: to prevent accidents by learning from them.
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