Analysis of Aircraft Accidents and Serious Incidents in Nigeria (2000-2020): Causes, Consequences and Safety Recommendations

This research aimed to analyze aircraft incidents and accidents in Nigeria during the specified period, identify and categorize their attributes, delineate trends, and evaluate preventive recommendations. Data were collected from the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and the Aviation Safety Network (ASN). The Key findings were as follows: accidents accounted for 38% of recorded occurrences, while serious incidents comprised 62%. A total of 613 fatalities were recorded. Fixed-wing aircraft were involved in 79% of occurrences, with rotary-wing aircraft accounting for 21%. The landing phase was the most occurrence-prone, and passenger flights had the highest number of recorded incidents. Non-fatal occurrences were more common than fatal ones, with human and organizational factors being predominant causes. Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Zaria were identified as high-frequency locations. Most recommendations focused on improving organizational procedures and regulations.