BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has called for stronger collaboration among Nigeria’s transportation stakeholders to strengthen safety standards across all modes of transport.
Speaking at the Multimodal Transportation Stakeholders’ Workshop organised by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) on Thursday, July 31, in Abuja, Keyamo said transportation is the lifeblood of the nation’s economy and stressed that safety must remain the top priority.
“Transportation connects people, goods, and ideas, driving growth, innovation, and prosperity. However, with this connectivity comes an immense responsibility: ensuring the safety of every passenger, crew member and cargo,” he said.
The workshop, themed “Strengthening Transport Safety Standards Through Collaboration,” brought together leaders and professionals from the aviation, rail, marine, and road transport sectors.
Among those in attendance were the Minister of Transportation, Senator Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.
Keyamo praised the NSIB’s role as an independent investigative body tasked with probing transport accidents across all sectors.
“Safety knows no silos. This interconnectedness demands a multimodal approach, where collaboration is not optional but essential,” he explained.
He highlighted the importance of timely investigations, noting that the NSIB’s mandate to commence serious incident probes within seven days would help preserve evidence and implement preventive measures swiftly.
“Delays in probing accidents only prolong uncertainty and allow preventable risks to persist,” he added.
The Minister further called on all stakeholders, including regulators, operators, manufacturers, and unions, to share data, invest in joint training, and adopt technology-driven solutions like AI-based predictive analytics.
He stressed that safety recommendations from NSIB investigations must be fully implemented.
“History teaches us that ignored lessons lead to repeated tragedies. Stakeholders must prioritise these recommendations by integrating them into policies and ensuring accountability at every level,” Keyamo urged.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting NSIB through funding, capacity building, and policy alignment, envisioning a Nigeria where “every journey is safe, every family reunited, and our economy thrives on the wheels of secure transport.”
The workshop also featured presentations by international and local transport safety experts, including Dennis Jones, former Managing Director of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB); Engineer Seyi Sijuwade, former Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation; and Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba (Rtd), former Chief of Naval Staff.
“The path to zero accidents requires unwavering collaboration and teamwork,” Keyamo stated, even as he urged participants to break down sector boundaries and forge partnerships that will make Nigeria’s transport system safer and more resilient.
