An Exploration of Aviation Safety Culture in Nigeria

Abstract

Verbatim from Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons. Not paraphrased, not summarized.

Despite sustained regulatory reforms, infrastructural development and capacity-building initiatives, Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest economies and a key regional aviation market, continues to experience significant safety deficiencies. This study examines how national cultural norms shape safety practices and performance in Nigeria’s aviation sector. Using an exploratory mixed-methods approach, it combines a systematic literature review, structured safety culture surveys, and semi-structured expert interviews to analyze interactions among regulatory frameworks, organizational practices, and human factors. Findings show that deeply embedded norms, particularly authority gradients, rule adherence, reporting behavior, and accountability, significantly influence safety outcomes. Although leadership commitment and safety awareness appear relatively strong, their effectiveness is constrained by operational pressures, resource limitations, and uneven confidence in reporting. The study argues that national culture is a critical determinant of aviation safety performance and that sustainable safety improvements require multi-level interventions that address regulatory robustness, organizational capacity, and culturally conditioned behaviors.

Authors

• Ogbozor, Ernest N Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Yimga, Jules Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• DeGarmo, Nicholas Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Marz, Hana Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Lopez, Kathrine Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Chrisman, Michael Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Leon, Cedric Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Souza Dias Garcia, Joao Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Sestito, Mariateresa Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Debrah, Harrison Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Obi, Albert Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Chidoka, Chidinma Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Keywords

• Aviation
• safety culture
• national culture
• exploratory research
• Nigeria
• Other International and Area Studies