The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has recorded 7,156 road traffic crashes, resulting in 3,445 deaths and 22,292 injuries across Nigeria between January and September 2026.
The Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, represented by the Jigawa Sector Commander, Usman Masa’udu-Matazu, disclosed this on Monday at a press briefing in Dutse to commemorate the 2026 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Crash Victims.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2026 commemoration is themed “A Light That Unites Us”, while the decade-long slogan is “Remember, Support, Act”.
Mohammed described the figures as more than statistics, saying they represented lives lost, grieving families and distressed communities.
“These numbers are more than just statistics as they represent human lives, families in grief and communities in distress,” he said.
He identified excessive speed and reckless driving as major factors responsible for road crashes, stressing the need for motorists to make responsible decisions.
He also said that Nigeria recorded 10,446 road crashes in 2025, resulting in 5,289 deaths and 33,400 injuries.
According to him, the country recorded 9,570 crashes in 2024, with 5,421 deaths and 31,154 injuries, compared with 10,617 crashes, 5,081 deaths and 31,874 injuries in 2023.
The corps marshal noted that though crashes declined by 10 per cent in 2024 compared with 2023, fatalities increased by seven per cent.
He said the annual world day of remembrance for road traffic victims provided an opportunity to remember people killed or seriously injured in crashes and acknowledge the work of emergency responders.
He also said it sought to draw attention to the experiences of victims and bereaved families, advocate better support for them and promote evidence-based measures to prevent further road deaths and injuries.
Mohammed said the campaign was designed to honour victims, support survivors and their families, and inspired action towards safer roads.
“Remember, Support, Act is a campaign created to honour the memory of those who lost their lives on the roads, support victims and their families, and inspire society to build a safer and more compassionate mobility culture,” he said.
He said activities marking the commemoration would run from monday (today) to Nov. 15, with a focus on reflection, empathy and renewed commitment to road safety.
He emphasised that safer roads depended not only on laws and systems, but also on the daily decisions of motorists and other road users.
On its operational response, he said the FRSC used data from its Road Traffic Crash Database Management System to identify high-risk locations for patrols, enforcement, surveillance and rescue operations.
He also said the corps had intensified public enlightenment campaigns through churches, mosques, schools and the media to educate road users.
He called for stronger collaboration among governments, media organisations, transport unions, civil society groups and communities to reduce road casualties.
He reaffirmed the corps’ commitment to the Marrakech declaration on road safety adopted at the fourth global ministerial conference on road safety in February 2025.
According to him, the declaration recognises the importance of safe, accessible and sustainable transport systems and calls for efforts to prevent deaths and serious injuries.
Mohammed therefore urged Nigerians to support safer walking and cycling and work towards a country where no life was needlessly lost on the roads.(NAN)
