FRSC, stakeholders seek unified regional approach to road safety

The FRSC and stakeholders have called for a unified regional approach to road safety innovation in the quest to reduce road accidents across West Africa.

The Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed made this call in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 2025 West African Road Safety Organisation (WARSO) Day on Thursday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the 2025 WARSO is tagged Innovation For Road Safety: Leveraging on Technology For a Safer Future.

Mohammed highlighted the urgent need for West African nations to adopt new technologies and strategies to address the escalating challenges of road safety in the region.

He stressed that the 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 safer, more efficient transportation systems. 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 said.

The FRSC boss also spoke about the recently launched FRSC Mobile App and the National Crash Information System (NACRIS), both of which aimed to provide seamless access to road safety services for the public.

The corps marshal emphasised that these tools aligned with global best practices and support Nigeria’s efforts to become a leader in road safety innovation within the region.

He reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to regional collaboration by highlighting the country’s involvement in strengthening road safety agencies in Liberia, Niger, and Sierra Leone.

“Following resolutions from the 11th WARSO General Assembly in Guinea in 2024, Nigeria will deploy officers to assist in building capacity in these countries’ road safety institutions.

“While technology is essential, true progress requires innovation in mindset, partnerships, and ideas. This is why today’s gathering is so important.

“I urge all participants to collaborate and share knowledge for the greater good of the region’s road safety,”he said.

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.

Ibeanusi, who doubled as the Country Director highlighted the critical role technology played in improving road safety processes, not only in Nigeria but throughout West Africa.

“In Nigeria, for FRSC, we’ve realised that the easiest and most effective way to drive our road safety processes is through technology.

“The essence of today’s lecture is to explore how we can all benefit from cutting-edge technologies available to us and share these innovations across the region.

“This is vital for making our cities more liveable and ensuring the safety of all road users,”he said.

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.

In his goodwill message, the National President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mr Musiliu Akinsanya commended the FRSC for its innovation and consistent work in the transportation sector.

Akinsanya, who was represented by a Member of the Union, Alhaji Issa Ore attributed the decline in accidents to the adoption of innovative measures, particularly digital technologies, which he believed would continue to drive down accident rates significantly.

He said that the reduction in road accidents was a direct result of the Corps’ strategic initiatives.

“I think the corps marshal has taken the bull by the horn. He has been working tirelessly so that we have smoother roads, not only in Nigeria but across the sub-region, “he said

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.

John-Suberu who doubled 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 and attributed this positive change to robust data analysis, policy enforcement, and public awareness programs.

“”From my experience, attending several meetings and events such as the recent Kofi Anann’s Award, it’s evident that Nigeria’s efforts in road safety are being recognized globally.

“Nigeria is the bedrock of WARSO; without Nigeria, there would be no WARSO,”he said.