By Suleiman Abdulmumin
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has revived its Annual Lecture Series, eight years after the last edition, with a renewed commitment to leverage global partnerships and best practices to address Nigeria’s road safety challenges.
Speaking at the 8th FRSC Annual Lecture Series held at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, the Corps Marshal, Mallam Shehu Mohammed, mni, emphasized that the platform serves as a critical tool for raising awareness on road crashes as a major public health concern.
Welcoming dignitaries, including the Vice President, His Excellency Kashim Shettima, GCON, and the guest lecturer, Executive Director of FIA Foundation (London), Mr. Saul Billingsley, the Corps Marshal described the lecture theme: “Road Safety Management and Emerging Transportation Trends: Global Partnership and Optimal Performance” as timely and aligned with both Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda and United Nations resolutions for Africa to cut road traffic fatalities and injuries by 50% by 2030.
Highlighting grim statistics, Mohammed revealed that despite FRSC’s sustained enforcement, advocacy, and public enlightenment campaigns, Nigeria still records an average of 5,000 deaths and over 31,000 injuries annually from road crashes. He stressed that these figures underscore the urgency for more coordinated action.
According to him, the National Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) provides a blueprint for such collaboration, while the National Road Safety Advisory Council (NaRSAC), chaired by the Vice President, is expected to galvanize federal and state agencies, private sector players, and civil society groups into effective partnership for safer roads.
The Corps Marshal further expressed optimism that the pending FRSC Amendment Bill, once passed by the Senate, would strengthen legislation on traffic enforcement and improve personnel welfare, thereby enhancing service delivery.
“As we deliberate today, I am confident that the resolutions from this lecture will catalyze formidable road safety policies that will change driving culture and leave a lasting legacy of safety on our roads,” Mohammed stated.
The FRSC Annual Lecture Series, first held in 2009, was last organized in 2017. Its revival, Mohammed noted, reflects the Corps’ determination to integrate international best practices into Nigeria’s transport safety framework.