By: Charles Ogba, Abuja
The Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has called on African governments to strengthen international cooperation to confront the escalating road safety crisis costing the continent thousands of lives each year.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the International Road Crash Victims Africa Conference, Tinubu, represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, warned that Africa must urgently “develop practical solutions” to halt the loss of young, productive citizens to preventable road crashes.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to making road transportation safer, more reliable, and economically efficient, noting that his administration is expanding investments in road infrastructure to drive economic growth “while safeguarding the lives and property of Nigerians.”
Delivering the keynote address, the Chairman of Nigeria’s Senate Committee on Interior, Adams Oshiomhole, underscored the need for stricter enforcement of traffic laws and increased visibility of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) personnel.
Oshiomhole criticized powerful elites who flout traffic rules with impunity, urging the FRSC to prosecute offenders “regardless of their social or political status.”
“The day you arrest a big man and a driver, charge him to court, and he is sent to jail, that will have a greater impact than a sermon of ‘please drive carefully,'” he said.
He further called for mandatory inclusion of proper road signage in all construction contracts and praised the FRSC for its leadership in advancing road safety across the continent, describing its work as “essential to Africa’s development.”
Addressing the gathering, the President of Nigeria’s Court of Appeal and Founder of Kwapda Road Safety Demand, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, urged African governments to enact stronger legislation to protect citizens, cushion the impact of road crashes, and hold reckless drivers and transport operators accountable.
She noted that without enforceable laws, improved road design, and active public awareness campaigns, the continent will continue to experience preventable tragedies.
“This is about Africa. Our common experiences bring us together. We need to take care of our needs and talk about it. African leaders should take road safety issues to higher levels,” she said.
She further highlighted the need for sustained collaboration among policymakers, transport unions, emergency responders, and civil society groups to build a culture of safety across Africa’s transport systems.
Justice Dongban-Mensem also announced plans for an International Trauma Centre in Abuja, designed to offer critical support to survivors.
The Federal Road Safety Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, expressed confidence that the conference’s outcomes would help forge a more unified and effective continental strategy to curb road fatalities.
The conference, themed “Gathering the World, Africa for Road Crash Victims,” united officials from 15 African nations, alongside experts from the World Bank, United Nations, and global NGOs, to champion the rights and needs of road crash victims.
Olusola Akintonde