The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy (FMMBE) and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) have opened discussions aimed at strengthening inter-agency collaboration to enhance safety on Nigeria’s waterways and improve coordination among institutions responsible for maritime safety. The post FMMBE, NSIB to collaborate on waterways safety appeared first on The Sun Nigeria .
The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy (FMMBE) and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) have opened discussions aimed at strengthening inter-agency collaboration to enhance safety on Nigeria’s waterways and improve coordination among institutions responsible for maritime safety.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Mrs Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, stated this when she received, in a courtesy visit, a delegation led by the Director-General, Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Capt. Alex Badeh Jnr., at the Ministry in Abuja.
Mrs Mahmood welcomed the NSIB team, describing the engagement as timely and important, particularly in clarifying the Bureau’s mandate and advancing effective waterways safety. She noted that stronger collaboration among relevant government institutions, guided by clearly defined roles and responsibilities within the marine and blue economy ecosystem, is essential.
The Permanent Secretary explained that the Ministry is undertaking a holistic review of the marine and blue economy ecosystem to ensure institutions are appropriately positioned to deliver on their mandates and work effectively towards common national objectives. She stressed that collaboration must be guided by relevant legal and statutory frameworks, with institutional clarity especially critical in areas of maritime safety, investigation, regulation and enforcement.
“A coordinated approach, rather than overlapping responsibilities, would support more effective implementation of government policies and programmes to improve safety across Nigeria’s waterways,” she emphasised.
Furthermore, she expressed the Ministry’s readiness to continue engaging with the NSIB and other agencies, underscoring that effective inter-agency cooperation is vital to strengthening Nigeria’s waterways safety framework and advancing the sustainable development of the marine and blue economy.
Earlier, Director-General Capt. Alex Badeh Jr. called for the integration of independent marine casualty investigations into national maritime policy reforms to avoid relevant agencies operating at cross purposes. This, according to him, will end preventable deaths across Nigeria’s 10,000 kilometres of navigable inland waterways spanning 28 states.
Capt. Badeh clarified that while agencies such as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and the Nigerian Ports Authority handle licensing, inspections and operations, the NSIB functions strictly as an independent, no-blame safety investigator. Its findings and actionable recommendations are systematically tracked, implemented and closed.
Addressing operational challenges, he expressed concern over delays in casualty reporting, noting that crucial physical evidence is frequently tampered with, looted or lost to weather and water currents before investigators reach accident sites. The NSIB therefore proposed the establishment of a formal casualty notification protocol with the Ministry, NSIB and operating agencies to ensure accidents are reported within one hour.
He concluded that this strategic collaboration will fortify Nigeria’s posture as a responsible flag, port and inland waterways state, helping to sustain its current International Maritime Organisation Category C seat while strengthening its bid for a Category B seat in the near future.
The post FMMBE, NSIB to collaborate on waterways safety appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
