President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to building a future where Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) no longer claim innocent lives. He made the pledge in his keynote address at the opening of the International Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Crash Victims Conference, held in Abuja.
Speaking through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, the President declared that the era of preventable deaths on Nigerian highways “must come to an end.” He described the recurring fatalities from road crashes as a national emergency that demands urgent and sustained action.
This year’s conference, themed “Gathering Africa and the World for Road Crash Victims,” was organised by the Kwapda Road Safety Demand (KRSD) Foundation in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). It brought together victims’ families, safety advocates, policymakers, development partners, and international experts to deepen global solidarity and chart new solutions.
Citing World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics, Tinubu noted that 1.19 million people die annually from road crashes worldwide, with an additional 50 million suffering varying degrees of injury. He stressed that nearly every Nigerian has either survived a road crash or knows someone who has, leaving many with lifelong physical and emotional scars.
The President highlighted several ongoing federal efforts aimed at promoting safe mobility, including the Lagos–Calabar coastal highway project, expanded rehabilitation of federal roads, and investments in rail and water transportation systems to ease pressure on highways. He also emphasised support for state governments in delivering modern road infrastructure.
Tinubu said his participation at the event—alongside governments, civil society, private sector stakeholders, development partners and survivors—reflected a shared responsibility to make road safety a fundamental human rights imperative. He urged participants to embrace knowledge-sharing, international cooperation, and global best practices aligned with the Safe System Approach and the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety.
“Nigeria must move beyond words to decisive action if it must reverse rising fatalities on its roads,” he said, adding that the Federal Government eagerly awaits the conference outcomes to further strengthen the nation’s safety interventions and policies.
The President also commended plans emerging from the conference to build a private sector–driven, world-class trauma centre for road crash victims. He praised the KRSD Foundation for its devotion to “dignifying a life by saving a life,” and applauded its collaboration with the FRSC.
Tinubu expressed confidence that sustained national campaigns and stakeholder partnerships would reduce road crash dangers and raise awareness about the plight of victims. He reiterated his administration’s resolve to achieve zero deaths from RTCs through collaboration with the FRSC, NGOs, civil society, development partners, and private sector actors.
In his remarks, FRSC Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed, called for stronger global political will to prioritise the needs of road crash victims. He described the conference as a landmark event—the first of its kind in the world—attracting international scholars and stakeholders to Abuja.
Mohammed noted that the gathering underscored a global commitment to supporting crash victims and strengthening response systems. He added that cooperation between NGOs and government institutions had significantly expanded the FRSC’s capacity beyond enforcement to include deeper public engagement and victim support.
“Partnership will help deepen discipline, honour, trust and respect for human life among citizens. If that is done, you’ll see the crashes going down,” he assured.
The FRSC boss reaffirmed the Corps’ dedication to enhancing interventions and ensuring crash victims receive the care and support they deserve, both in Nigeria and globally.
The conference concluded with a unified call for urgent, decisive, and sustained actions to make Africa—and the world—safer for every road usernan.
