The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Malam Shehu Mohammed, has stated that President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda has significantly enhanced the Corps’ funding, technological advancement, and operational capacity, including the recent approval for nationwide night patrols.
Speaking in an interview on Wednesday in Abuja, as part of activities marking President Tinubu’s second year in office, Mohammed said the administration’s robust support for road safety was already reducing road traffic crashes and was crucial to Nigeria’s ambition of halving road-related fatalities by 2030.
“While we have consistently emphasised that road safety is a global ideal and a shared responsibility, this administration has offered both moral and financial support,” he said.
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He explained that presidential directives had been issued to initiate night patrols, noting that many serious crashes and fatalities occur after dark.
“The government acknowledged that a significant proportion of accidents and casualties happen at night, and consequently mandated us to resume full-scale night patrols,” he added.
Mohammed further revealed that the number of reported crashes fell by approximately 10 per cent in 2024. However, he noted that fatalities had increased, largely due to secondary incidents such as fuel scooping at crash sites involving tankers.
“Primary crashes often do not result in fatalities, but secondary activities like citizens attempting to scoop fuel from fallen tankers—frequently lead to tragic outcomes,” he said.
He commended the administration for expediting budget releases and praised the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, under Senator George Akume, for its prompt response to FRSC requests.
“Every memo and request we channel through his office receives immediate attention. This level of responsiveness has strengthened our efforts to make Nigerian roads safer and reduce crashes by 50 per cent by 2030,” he stated.
According to the Corps Marshal, the FRSC has also made significant progress in technology, infrastructure, and personnel training in the past year. Two major technological innovations were launched: a one-stop mobile application and the National Crash Information Reporting System.
He explained that the mobile app notifies drivers and passengers when a vehicle exceeds speed limits 50 km/h in towns, 30 km/h in built-up areas, and 80–100 km/h on highways. It also flags black spots, sharp bends, and potholes based on continuously updated data.
The app’s geolocation feature has improved emergency response times and aligns with the administration’s ease-of-doing-business initiative.
“Even our personnel have undergone regular capacity building to ensure increased productivity and delivery on our mandate. The mobile app bridges the gap between the Corps and the general public, offering seamless interaction and access to our services,” he said.
The second innovation, the National Crash Information Reporting System, addresses long-standing concerns from global agencies over Nigeria’s crash data. Mohammed said the system integrates information from all relevant security and emergency services, thereby eliminating data duplication and ensuring the country now operates a unified and credible crash database.
“The World Bank and the World Health Organisation had previously questioned the integrity of our crash data. With this new system in place, Nigeria now speaks with one reliable voice on crash statistics,” he noted.
The Corps Marshal expressed appreciation for President Tinubu’s support and reaffirmed FRSC’s commitment to road safety.
“We are truly grateful for the backing of this administration and remain committed to making our roads safer for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mohammed also urged continued public cooperation, emphasising that road safety is a collective responsibility.
