Road Safety : FRSC Boss Wants W/African Countries To Evolve New Strategies

The Federal Road Safety Corps FRSC has called on West African countries to adopt New Technologies and Strategies to address the escalating challenges of Road Safety Management in the region .

The Corps Marshal of FRSC, Mallam Shehu Mohammed made the call at the opening of the 2025 West African Road Safety Organization, WARSO day in Abuja with the theme ”Innovation For Road Safety: Leveraging on Technology for a Safer Future” .

Mallam Shehu Mohammed stressed the need for increased regional cooperation and innovation in the quest to reduce road accidents across the sub region.

According to him, integration of technology, such as intelligent traffic management systems, real-time data analytics, and automated violation recording, were essential for reducing road accidents and fatalities.

“Technology offers the promise of a safer, more efficient transportation system. There are various technology-driven projects already in progress within the FRSC”.

“These include the introduction of e-ticketing systems, the Crash Data Management System (CDMS), and the National Vehicle Identification System”.

He maintained that the recently launched FRSC Mobile App and the National Crash Information System, NACRIC, were aimed at providing seamless access to road safety services for the public.

Represented by the Deputy Corps Marshal Clement Oladele, the FRSC Boss reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to regional collaboration by highlighting the country’s involvement in strengthening road safety agencies in Liberia, Niger, and Sierra Leone.

Speaking, Dr Sydney Ibeanusi, National Focal Person, United Nations Decade of Action on Road Safety and Traffic Injury Prevention, Nigeria, emphasised the importance of technology in enhancing road safety within Nigeria and across the West African region.

He acknowledged that while there were still progress to be made, the FRSC had been a pioneer in incorporating technology into its operations, and that continuous innovation is key to achieving safer roads.

Also, a UN envoy, Prof. Yusuf John-Suberu reflected on a 2018 report from the World Health Organisation (WHO), which indicated that Nigeria was losing over 100 billion naira annually due to road crashes.

Prof.John-Suberu, who doubles as a representative of NGOs and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the United Nations Decade of Action on Injury Prevention, acknowledged that the situation had improved significantly in recent years.

This, he said, was due to the efforts of the FRSC in collaboration with government agencies, CSOs, and enforcement bodies.

He also attributed this positive change to robust data analysis, policy enforcement, and public awareness programs.

Kayode Oyedare, Edited By Grace Namiji