David Akachukwu
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The latest Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023 released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised serious concerns, revealing that Nigeria records one of the highest rates of road traffic fatalities in Africa reporting 21.4 deaths per 100,000 people.
Justice Monica Dongban Mensem, founder of Kwapda’as Road Safety Demand (KRSD), referenced this alarming statistic during a press conference held in Abuja. She emphasized the urgent need for Nigeria to take decisive steps to reduce these preventable deaths.
Mensem also revealed plans to host the first-ever International Road Crash Victims Africa Conference (IRCVAC) in November. The event is aimed at amplifying the voices of road traffic crash victims and offering support to their families.
“Nigeria has been ranked among the countries with the highest road traffic deaths in Africa, with 21.4 deaths per 100,000 people, according to the World Health Organization’s Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023.
“This is not just statistics; it means thousands of families are devastated every year. The figure is significantly higher than both the global and African averages,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, has assured that the agency will intensify its efforts to curb road traffic accidents nationwide.
He disclosed that, as part of strategies to save lives, the FRSC is partnering with the KRSD foundation to establish trauma centres across various regions of the country, providing immediate support for crash victims.
Despite years of road safety campaigns and the presence of the FRSC, many Nigerians remain worried about the rising trend of road accidents. The release of the WHO report has reignited the debate over the root causes of these frequent tragedies.
Some critics point fingers at reckless driving habits and poor maintenance of vehicles, blaming drivers’ negligence. Others argue that the responsibility lies with the government for failing to construct and maintain safe roads, suggesting that poor road infrastructure plays a major role in the rising number of crashes.
However, many believe that the problem is not limited to just one cause but rather stems from a combination of human error, vehicle faults, and poor road conditions.
Sharing his perspective, veteran luxury bus driver Mr. Pius Akwashiki who has spent over two decades transporting passengers across Nigeria and parts of West Africa identified three primary causes of road accidents: the condition of roads, the state of vehicles, and driver behavior.
Road Condition
According to Akwashiki, although several elements contribute to road mishaps, the condition of Nigerian roads is a major factor. He emphasized that whether one travels from the north to the south or from the east to the west, the poor state of road infrastructure is a consistent issue across the country.
“For instance, Lagos –Benin-Ore Road has been a death trap for over 15 years, causing accidents on a daily basis. The road alone accounts for more than 40 percent of the yearly accidents in the country,” he stated.
He expressed deep concern over the poor condition of roads nationwide, highlighting that major highways are frequently riddled with potholes, some reaching depths of up to three feet.
Akwashiki pointed out that many crashes occur when vehicles suddenly encounter these deep potholes. Such incidents often result in severe consequences, with a high number of casualties reported.
“The sights of abandoned rickety vehicles on our highways are commonplace. They cause obstructions, and most often, result in accidents.
“Aside from potholes and abandoned rickety vehicles, other hazards include wooden objects and old vehicle tyres, which the police use to form roadblock on our highways.
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“While a great number of vehicles tend to somersault when they run into potholes, others run into other vehicles on the road while trying to avoid these unexpected hazards,” he said.
He said another remarkable factor is the absence of road signage on most of the country’s highways. “This makes it difficult for non-locals to use any stretch of our roads without prior tutoring regarding the ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ of each stretch,” he added.
Vehicle condition
On the topic of vehicle maintenance, he observed that many cars in Nigeria rarely receive consistent servicing.
Furthermore, he noted that even when owners attempt to maintain their vehicles, the services are often performed by unauthorized technicians who do not have access to official manufacturer manuals.
“A lot of improvisations, therefore, go into vehicle maintenance.
“The serviceable parts are also not reliably supplied by the authorized manufacturer agents. These fake parts, therefore, tend to give way in the least expected of situations. Such unexpected parts failures cause accidents as well,” he submitted.
He equally did not forget the role of skilled auto mechanics, when he said: “The absence of a skilled workforce also makes the workmanship of the maintenance engineers in Nigeria operate at standards way below the standards in the advanced countries of the world.”
Human factor
He stressed that the discussion around human factors is very diverse as it includes not only the vehicle owners but the government and some of its agencies. He, however, noted that it is a major contributory factor to incessant carnage on the road.
He said: “When we talk about human factor, it is all encompassing; both the government and its agencies, like the FRSC, Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) and the Ministry of Transport, the drivers and corporate bodies have failed to live up to their respective biddings as far reducing road accident is concerned.”
He decried the ease with which driver’s licences are procured in Nigeria, saying that it calls for serious concerns and needs urgent scrutiny.
“People who don’t know anything about driving easily get the license at the licensing office as long as they have the cash. It does not matter whether the person knows how to drive or not; so long as the person can afford the kickback he will get it.
“This has increased the number of accidents on our roads because the resultant effect is that incompetent drivers are seen plying major roads.
“Most drivers don’t know road signs, and even the ones that scarcely know, refuse to adhere strictly to them. They overtake where there is a sharp bend, ignoring such traffic warnings and ultimately causing accidents most often,” he said.
He also pointed out most people’s driving habits, saying, “The driving habits of most Nigerians are so bad that many people tailgate other drivers at high speeds causing major difficulties for the vehicles when things go wrong with any of the vehicles in the convoy.”
He lamented that speed limits are never adhered to on the roads “and the vehicles are commonly used well in excess of the design load capacity. This makes it difficult for drivers of such vehicles to control them in a safe and reasonable manner when necessary.
“Some drivers are in the habit of drinking and driving or even sleeping on the steering as a result of fatigue.”
An independent investigation has revealed that several transport companies in Nigeria compensate their drivers based on the number of daily trips completed between cities such as Onitsha or Benin and Lagos.
Among drivers, this system is informally known as “Pay as You Go.”
This method of payment was confirmed by Mr. Pius Akwashiki, who described it as a dangerous practice contributing to the high number of accidents on highways. He explained that drivers operating under this arrangement often push themselves to make multiple trips in a single day to earn more income—disregarding the physical and mental toll it takes on their bodies due to inadequate rest.
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“Another prevalent human factor is the habit of drivers answering or making phone calls while on steering. This has led to many accidents because some times, the driver becomes overexcited or downcast by what the person at the other end said, thereby losing concentration most times.
The result is always fatal accidents, resulting in loss of lives and serious injuries,” he added.
Additional findings pointed to the widespread use of second-hand tyres popularly known as ‘tokunbo tyres’ as a significant factor in road accidents.
Chief James Chukwuebuka, a tyre dealer based in the Maza-Maza area of Lagos, emphasized that many vehicle owners in Nigeria pay little attention to the lifespan of their tyres, especially when purchasing used ones.
He said: “The average life span of a new tyre is four years but you discovered that most fairly used tyres are way up to 10 years.”
He further explained that even new tyres sometimes fail because they’ve been stored for too long after their production date exceeding the recommended four-year window—before being installed on vehicles.
Despite all these factors, Akwashiki did not absolve the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) of responsibility. He also held the government accountable for the deteriorating condition of roads across the country.
He warned that traffic fatalities would likely continue to rise unless a proper tracking system is introduced to monitor drivers who have been involved in multiple crashes.
According to him, what usually happens after an accident is that reckless drivers are simply dismissed by their employers, with no follow-up or long-term accountability.
“Such a driver will then seek appointment with another transport company that is unaware of his past driving records.
“He gets involved in another accident and he is fired and he moves to another company.
“The journey continues and he keeps wasting people’s lives on the highway,” he added.
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He suggested that the FRSC should have statistics of such drivers and get their names published in the national dailies so that other transport companies will not employ them.
Solutions
On addressing the ongoing issue of road accidents, Akwashiki emphasized that all relevant government bodies from the FRSC to the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) and the Ministry of Transport—must fully commit to their duties.
He criticized the practice of issuing driver’s licenses to unqualified individuals simply because they can afford to pay for them.
To improve enforcement of road safety regulations, he recommended that the FRSC acquire modern tools capable of identifying intoxicated drivers on the road.
Furthermore, the government should prioritize repairing and maintaining major highways to eliminate dangerous potholes.
VIO officers need to stop accepting bribes and ensure that vehicles deemed unfit for the road are officially declared “off road.”
Akwashiki also proposed that the FRSC create a comprehensive database of drivers involved in multiple accidents, and that the names of such drivers be published in national newspapers to discourage transport companies from employing them. He believes this would be a significant step toward reducing road accidents in Nigeria.
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