The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has called on African countries to move beyond the ratification of road safety policies and begin full implementation of agreements aimed at reducing road crashes and fatalities across the continent.
FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, made the call on Friday in Abuja during the 2026 West African Road Safety Organisation Day, themed “From Ratification to Action: African Road Safety Charter.”
Mohammed warned that signing protocols without concrete action would remain symbolic and fail to protect lives on African roads.
He stressed the need for stronger collaboration among African nations to tackle road crashes, calling for harmonised traffic laws and coordinated enforcement systems across the continent.
According to him, member states should also share crash data and adopt common standards for driver licensing and vehicle inspections.
“Therefore, I call on all member states to move swiftly from policy documents to pavement impact.
“Let us harmonise traffic laws, establish crash data protocols, and adopt common licensing and inspection standards.
“The African Road Safety Observatory must be empowered to track our progress with credible data,” he said.
Mohammed noted that the FRSC’s initiatives aligned with the regional economic integration agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
He said the policy framework emphasised safer trade corridors, smart traffic technology, and stronger border infrastructure management.
According to him, the Corps remained strategically positioned to deepen regional collaboration and economic integration, particularly along the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor.
“The FRSC has enhanced mobility, improved traffic management, and supported seamless movement of people and goods,” he said.
The Corps Marshal also appreciated development partners, including the World Health Organization and the ECOWAS Commission, for their technical support.
“Ratification was the handshake, implementation is the hard work, and saving lives remains the ultimate reward,” Mohammed said.
Representing Nigeria’s Ministry of Transportation, Deputy Director, Abubakar El-Nafaty, described the event as timely and significant.
He urged governments and stakeholders to translate policy commitments into measurable actions across Africa, while embracing innovation and technology in transport safety management.
Also speaking, Olarenwaju Olatunji, Focal Person for the United Nations Decade of Action on Road Safety Injury and Prevention, said discussions on road safety must lead to practical outcomes.
He stressed that sustained implementation remained crucial to reducing crashes, injuries, and avoidable deaths.
Highlights of the event included a public lecture delivered by Wale Ajala and goodwill messages from stakeholders.
