Abuja: President Bola Tinubu says the Federal Government is committed to a future where Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) no longer claim lives. Tinubu made the declaration in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the International Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Crash Victims Conference in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the President, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, emphasized that the era of preventable deaths on the nation’s highways must end. He noted that the conference’s theme, ‘Gathering Africa and the World for Road Crash Victims,’ reflected a collective resolve to tackle what he described as an ‘epidemic’ of road crashes affecting families and communities nationwide.
The event was organized by Kwapda’as Road Safety Demand (KRSD) in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). It brought together families of victims, safety advocates, policymakers, and development partners. Citing statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the President highlighted that about 1.19 million people die annually from RTCs globally, with another 50 million sustaining injuries.
Tinubu remarked that almost every Nigerian has either suffered or knows someone who has suffered from a road crash. He stressed that many victims live with permanent scars and long-term trauma. His administration, he assured, would continue to prioritize initiatives promoting safe motorization, including the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project and several rehabilitation works across the country.
The Federal Government, he mentioned, is also expanding rail and water transport systems and supporting state governments in delivering modern highway infrastructure to ensure safer travel. The President reiterated that his presence at the event, alongside governments, global partners, civil society groups, the private sector, and survivors, underscored a collective responsibility to make road safety a human rights imperative.
Participants were urged to share knowledge, adopt global best practices, and strengthen international collaboration in line with the Safe System approach and the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety. Tinubu emphasized that Nigeria must move beyond words to decisive action to reverse the rising fatalities on its roads, labeling road traffic deaths as a national emergency.
He expressed anticipation of the conference’s conclusions to deepen Nigeria’s road safety policies and interventions. Tinubu commended plans arising from the conference to establish a private sector-led world-class trauma center for road crash victims, and he praised the KRSD Foundation for its commitment to road safety and its partnership with the FRSC.
The President expressed confidence that sustained campaigns by stakeholders through the media and collaborative efforts would help curb the dangers of road crashes and increase public awareness of the plight of victims. He urged participants to go beyond dialogue and take decisive actions that would make Africa and the world safer for road users.
Reaffirming the government’s dedication to achieving zero deaths from RTCs, Tinubu stated that collaboration with the FRSC, relevant government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector is crucial to building a sustainable and safe transport system.
In his remarks, the FRSC Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed, called for increased global political commitment to improve support for road traffic crash victims. Mohammed described the event as a significant occasion, demonstrating the impact of effective collaboration between NGOs and public sector institutions.
He expressed optimism that outcomes from the conference would spur nations and leaders to strengthen political will, attention, and action towards road safety. Mohammed noted that such commitment would contribute to reducing fatalities and injuries associated with road crashes, not only in Nigeria but globally.
He emphasized that although many perceive the FRSC’s work as mainly revolving around enforcement, sensitization, and public enlightenment, collaboration with NGOs and CSOs has broadened its capacity to deliver on its mandate. Partnership, he maintained, will help deepen discipline, honor, trust, and respect for human life among citizens, ultimately reducing road crashes.