- Nigeria’s airspace has recorded only two fatal civil air crashes in the last decade, with nine lives lost
- The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has issued over 220 safety recommendations, contributing to improved air safety
According to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), the quality of investigations into air accidents and serious incidents and the timely release of safety reports have significantly contributed to improved air safety in the country.
According to the bureau, Nigeria’s airspace has only recorded two fatal civil air crashes in the last ten years, resulting in the tragic loss of nine lives.
Engr. Akin Olateru, Director-General, NSIB, stated in a paper presented at the 7th African Aviation Summit and Exhibition in Abuja, titled “Nigeria Evolving Approach to Aviation Safety and Learning from Occurrence Investigation,” that Nigeria has the best aviation safety record in the world.
According to him, Nigeria is now a formidable force in the global aviation safety arena.
According to the Daily Trust, the NSIB (formerly the Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB) has issued over 220 safety recommendations since its inception. The recommendations aided in shaping industry safety practices.
Olateru stated that the bureau intends to review and assess the effectiveness of all safety recommendations issued over the years in collaboration with the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
He stated that this would aid in monitoring their implementation through forming committees, and that it would be unveiled in 2024.
He stated that the decrease in fatal accidents and serious incidents did not happen overnight, stating that “in the last four years, Nigeria had only one accident per year in terms of classification.”
He stated that the Bristow Helicopters crash in 2015 and the Quorum Helicopters accident in 2019 were the only two civil occurrences with fatalities during the period.