By Chinenye Jane Anaeme
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has revived its Annual Lecture Series, eight years after the last edition, with a renewed commitment to reducing road crashes and aligning Nigeria with global transportation safety standards.
Speaking at the 8th FRSC Annual Lecture held at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja, the Corps Marshal, Mallam Shehu Mohammed, mni, described the forum as a “critical platform to spark new perspectives and partnerships” in addressing the scourge of road accidents, which he termed a major public health challenge.
The event, attended by the Vice President, His Excellency Kashim Shettima, GCON, and other top dignitaries, featured a keynote lecture delivered by Mr. Saul Billingsley, Executive Director of the FIA Foundation, London, on the theme: “Road Safety Management and Emerging Transportation Trends: Global Partnership and Optimal Performance.”
Tracing the history of the initiative, Mohammed noted that the lecture series began in 2009 with the theme “Sustainable Development and Road Safety” but went on hold after 2017. He explained that its revival in 2025 was strategic, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the United Nations target of reducing road fatalities by 50 percent before 2030.
Despite ongoing enforcement and advocacy campaigns, the Corps Marshal lamented Nigeria’s grim statistics: an annual average of 5,000 deaths and over 31,000 injuries from road crashes. He emphasized that such figures highlight the urgency of implementing the National Road Safety Strategy (NRSS), a blueprint designed to coordinate efforts across government levels and stakeholders.
He also underscored the role of the National Road Safety Advisory Council (NaRSAC), chaired by the Vice President, in galvanizing synergy across Ministries, Departments, Agencies, and private stakeholders. According to him, effective collaboration under NaRSAC would drive the NRSS agenda and foster sustainable results.
On legislative backing, Mohammed welcomed the Federal Government’s continued support, particularly the pending FRSC Amendment Bill, which he said would strengthen enforcement powers, improve personnel welfare, and enhance institutional efficiency.
Concluding his remarks, the Corps Marshal expressed optimism that the outcomes of the 8th Annual Lecture would “catalyze formidable policies and drive behavioural change in road use culture,” leaving behind an enduring legacy of safer roads in Nigeria.
