Nigeria has been ranked among the countries with the highest road traffic deaths in Africa, with 21.4 deaths per 100,000 people, according to the World Health Organization’s Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023.
This alarming statistic highlights the need for urgent action to address the road safety crisis in the country.
The economic losses due to road crashes are staggering, with over N800 billion lost annually. More than 40,000 Nigerians die every year in road traffic crashes. Poor infrastructure, reckless driving, overspeeding, fatigue, and poorly maintained vehicles are major contributors to road crashes in Nigeria.
FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, has called for stronger collaboration between federal and state governments, improved road design, regular driver education, and the establishment of trauma centers along major highways. “Road crashes cause about 1.2 million deaths globally every year, with women and children often suffering the worst consequences both physically and emotionally,” Mohammed said.
Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, founder of KRSD Foundation, emphasized that Nigeria’s road safety challenge has reached crisis level, citing FRSC data that speeding and loss of control cause more than half of road crashes nationwide. “No road death is acceptable,” she said, highlighting the need for a stronger national strategy targeting critical risk factors.
The FRSC and KRSD Foundation are working together to establish a trauma center for families of crash victims. As the country grapples with the road safety crisis, stakeholders are urging the government to take decisive action to reduce the number of road crashes and save lives.