The Nigerian Senate has directed a thorough investigation into rising safety concerns in the nation’s aviation industry, following alarming revelations from the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) about a recent runway overrun involving an Air Peace aircraft at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
The resolution was reached during Wednesday’s plenary after Senator Abdulfatai Buhari (Oyo North) raised a motion emphasizing the urgent need to reinforce aviation safety standards in light of the NSIB’s findings on the June 22, 2025, incident.
The Senate mandated its Committee on Aviation to interface with critical stakeholders—including the NSIB, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and airline operators—and to submit a detailed report of its findings within six weeks.
Lawmakers also passed a separate resolution urging the Federal Government to construct an additional runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The upper chamber noted that having a single operational runway in the capital poses operational challenges and safety risks, particularly during emergencies or maintenance periods.
The Senate expressed deep concern over the NSIB’s report, which highlighted significant lapses in runway maintenance, airfield lighting, pilot decision-making, and regulatory enforcement. Although no casualties were recorded in the Air Peace incident, legislators warned that such near-misses have become increasingly frequent across Nigeria’s airports, posing grave safety and reputational risks to the aviation sector.
Senator Buhari stressed the need for “urgent institutional reforms” to ensure that Nigerian airspace remains safe, secure, and compliant with international standards. He also called for a stricter monitoring framework to hold both regulators and operators accountable for safety violations.
The Senate’s intervention marks one of the strongest legislative responses to aviation safety lapses in recent years, signaling growing concern over Nigeria’s air transport infrastructure and regulatory effectiveness.
What you should know
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) is responsible for probing air, marine, and rail accidents to prevent future occurrences.
The June 2025 Air Peace incident, which involved a Boeing 737-500 skidding off the runway in Port Harcourt, reignited debates over the nation’s aging airport facilities and inadequate safety oversight—issues the Senate now seeks to address through legislative scrutiny and reform.
