The Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA) has been honoured with the Global Business Awards 2025 as the Best Regional Aircraft Accident Investigation Agency in Africa; and Capacity Building & Aviation Safety Group 2025, West Africa
The recognition that highlights its growing role in advancing aviation safety and capacity development across the continent.
The awards, by Corporate Vision, acknowledges BAGAIA’s leadership in promoting safety oversight and its efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the agency maintained continuity by conducting both virtual and on-site missions to member states.
Through these engagements, BAGAIA successfully advocated for the establishment and institutionalisation of independent Accident Investigation Authorities (AIAs), enabling five of its seven member states to align with ICAO’s “No Country Left Behind” initiative.
BAGAIA, Commissioner Charles Erhueh described the recognition as a testament to BAGAIA’s dedication to safety, even if the category’s description raised some eyebrows.
“It’s both humbling and amusing because BAGAIA remains the only regional aircraft accident investigation organization in West Africa indeed, in Africa yet this award reinforces how our singular presence has made a real difference,” Erhueh said.
He added that the recognition reflects the agency’s commitment to building sustainable accident investigation capacity within member states through technical missions and institutional reforms.
Among BAGAIA’s notable contributions was its technical assistance mission to Sierra Leone, which led to an increase in the country’s Effective Implementation (EI) rate for its Aircraft Incident Investigation Group (AIG) from 11.11 per cent % to 40.96 per cent.
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Similarly, BAGAIA’s intervention in Namibia saw an EI improvement of AIG from 70 per cent to 79.01 per cent, exceeding the global average.
In addition, the agency has trained more than 450 accident investigators, strengthening the pool of qualified professionals across member states and beyond.
These achievements, Erhueh noted, demonstrate how collaboration and capacity building can elevate aviation safety across the continent.
Beyond training, BAGAIA has been instrumental in developing harmonised safety investigation regulations and key documents such as the BAGAIA Safety Investigation Regulations and the BAGAIA Investigation Policies and Procedures Manual (BIPPM).
The agency’s commitment to regional cooperation has also led to the successful hosting of meetings, partnerships, and the creation of an interactive online platform that promotes knowledge exchange and transparency.
While the award classification as “Best Regional Aircraft Accident Investigation Agency in West Africa” may appear technically redundant, given BAGAIA’s exclusive mandate across the region, Erhueh maintained that the recognition “serves as validation of Africa’s growing influence in global aviation safety conversations.”
BAGAIA’s continuous advocacy, documentation support, and alignment with ICAO standards continue to position it as a pivotal force in Africa’s regional aircraft investigation landscape.
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