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Aviation Safety‘ll Improve In 2023, NSIB Assures Nigerians
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has said that it would intensify efforts to improve aviation safety in 2023.
NSIB Director-General, Mr Akin Olateru, made this known, yesterday, in an interview with newsmenin Abuja.
According to Olateru, one of the fundamental objectives of the bureau is to improve aviation safety by determining the circumstances and causes of air accidents and serious indents.
“It will also provide safety recommendations intended to prevent the recurrence of similar accidents. The purpose of this is not to apportion blame or liability,” he added.
The NSIB boss said to achieve the feat, the bureau had planned to train and retrain its staff to sustain best practices in 2023.
He said three Air Safety Investigators of the bureau had just completed their programme at the Nigerian College of Technology (NCAT), Zaria, to boost capacity.
He affirmed that the NSIB had partnered with Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA) to train Air Safety Investigators by organising workshops for investigators and aviation Correspondents in Abuja.
Olateru explained that BAGAIA assisted its members in seven West African states, including the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Cape Verde and Sierra Leone to conduct an independent investigation of aircraft accidents and serious incidents in compliance with international standards.
On the partnership, Olateru said the current administration had initiated collaborations and cooperation agreements with several countries and institutions to strengthen safety in the aviation industry.
He said the partners included the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), the Republic of Benin, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and the Singapore Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB).
“Also, Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses pour la sécurité de l’aviationcivile (BEA- France), University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), University of Lagos (UNILAG), and the Republic of Saudi Arabia, are among the partners,” he said.
He said the bureau has established a training institute to boost knowledge of accident investigation in the African region.
He said the training school would be the first of its kind in Africa with support from Cranfield University, UK, Singapore TSB and NCAT.
“This institution will serve as a source of internally-generated revenue for the bureau with an enabling study environment, a four-star accommodation of 30 hotel rooms, training rooms and an auditorium with a capacity of 250 seats.
“The new training school of Accident Investigation Mobile Site Emergency mobile satellite office will help the investigators to create a mobile office at crash sites.
“It will also help to download from Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVR) and Flight Data Recorders (FDR) right there at the crash sites without having to delay the process,” he said.
According to him, the facility is currently situated in Abuja ready for deployment as needed in order to key into current trends and technologies in the aviation industry, especially in the area of accident investigation.
The NSIB boss said the bureau’s equipment and laboratories had been ranked among the best in the world.
“The Flight Safety Laboratory (FSL) is where data from CVR and FDR are downloaded. NSIB flight safety lab has the capacity to download data from majority of the CVR and FDR’s available today.
“The FSL contributes greatly to our seamless investigative process with its ability to recreate simulations in animations based on data from the Flight Data Recorders (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR),” he said.
Olateru said that FSL had capability to download from large range of undamaged recorder models and some damaged recorder models.
He said the bureau had also incorporated the use of drones, one of the ever involving techniques in accident investigation, to assist in investigations.
“These can assist in crash site assessment and hazards identification, aerial photography and mapping and serve as a guide to access difficult terrain.
“Renovation/Maintenance work at AIB Wreckage Hangar at Abuja, so that all aircraft wreckages are stored for reassessment during the investigation,” he said.
The director general said the Bureau was invited by the Sierra Leone Government to provide technical assistance for setting up of Sierra Leone’s Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Bureau (SL-AAIIB).
Olateru said the Bureau organised and hosted the first International Day for the Commemoration of air crash victims and their families on February 20, 2022.
He stated that funding constraints due to inflation had affected some projects implementation.
According to him, NSIB has received “Most Innovative Aviation Agency of the Year 2022 Award” by Air Transport Quarterly and “Africa Drone for Humanity Award” at the 2nd Drone Technology Conference and Exhibition.
“AIB Commissioner received Aviation CEO Award 2021 at the Travellers Award,” he added.
President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.
The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.
The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.
The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.
“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.
Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.
Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”
Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”
He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.
“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.
According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”
He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.
The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.
However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.
At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.
They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.
After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.
By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.
In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.
“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.
“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.
He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.
The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.
“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”
The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.
Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.
However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.
Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.
A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.
It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.
The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.
“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.
“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
But lawmakers rejected the request.
The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.
“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.
“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.
Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.
The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.
Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”
Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.
The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.
Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.
The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.
The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) said over 17 million Nigerians travelled out between 2023 and 2024.
This is as the association announced that it would be organising a maiden edition of Eastern Travel Market 2025 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital from 27th to 30th August, 2025.
Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone, Hope Ehiogie, disclosed this during a news briefing in Port Harcourt.
Ehiogie explained that the event aims to bring together over 1,000 travel professionals to discuss the future of the industry in the nation and give visibility to airlines, hospitality firms, hospitals and institutions in the South-South and South-East, tagged Eastern Zone.
He stated that the 17 million number marks a significant increase in overseas travel and tours.
According to him, “Nigerian travel industry has seen significant growth, with 17 million people traveling out of the country in 2023”.
Ehiogie further said the potential of tourism and travel would bring in over $12 million into the nation’s economy by 2026, saying it would be a major spike in the sector, as 2024 recorded about $4 million.
“The potential of tourism and travel is that it can generate about $12 million for the nation’s economy by 2026. Last year it was $4 million.
“In the area of travels, over 17 million Nigerians traveled out of the country two years ago for different purposes. This included, health, religious purposes, visit, education and others,” Ehiogie said.
While highlighting the potential of Nigeria’s tourism, he said the hospitality industry in Nigeria has come of age, saying it is now second to none.
The Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone further said, “We are not creating an enabling environment for business to thrive. We need to support the industry and provide the necessary infrastructure for growth.”
He said the country has a lot of tourism potential, especially as the government is now showing interest in and supporting the sector.
Ehiogie emphasized that NANTA has been working to support the industry with initiatives such as training schools and platforms for airlines and hotels to sell their products.
He added, “We now have about four to five training schools in the region, and within two years, the first set of students will graduate. We are helping airlines sell tickets and hotels sell their rooms.”
Also speaking, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NANTA, Stephen Isokariari of Dial Travels, called for more support from the industry.
Isokariari stated, “We need to work together to grow the industry and contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
“With the right support and infrastructure, the Nigerian travel industry has the potential to make a significant contribution to the nation’s economy.”