Vice President Kashim Shettima has inaugurated the National Road Safety Advisory Council (NaRSAC) with a call for the adoption of global best practices to reduce traffic crashes and improve road safety in Nigeria.
In his address during the ceremony, Vice President Shettima emphasized the importance of road safety as a national priority.
“Road safety is not merely a matter of policy but a critical part of the lifeline that connects the people of this nation,” he stated.
Shettima charged the council to set clear National Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) targets and to ensure effective collaboration among all levels of government.
He also stressed the need for alignment with international standards, saying that the council must “embrace global best practices to ensure the safety of all road users.”
The Vice President commended the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for its efforts in addressing Nigeria’s traffic challenges, highlighting the agency’s significant achievements despite its relatively short history.
He also urged the FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, to take the recommendations from the World Bank’s Country Capacity Review as a catalyst for further reforms in Nigeria’s road safety management.
“This spirit of unity exemplifies the essence of working together for the common good,” Shettima remarked, praising the collaborative efforts between federal and state executives, as well as other government agencies, to improve road safety.
He noted that the establishment of NaRSAC aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broader agenda to strengthen administrative capacities across government institutions.
In his speech, the Vice President expressed confidence that the new initiative would enhance Nigeria’s transportation system and contribute to sustainable economic growth.
“This intervention will not only reduce road traffic accidents but will also boost the efficiency of our transportation network, thereby driving economic growth,” Shettima stated.
Speaking at the event, FRSC Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed, who also serves as the secretary of the advisory council, described the inauguration as a “new chapter” in the country’s road safety management.
He emphasized that the NaRSAC’s formation is a major step toward fast-tracking the implementation of the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy (NRSS), which seeks to address road safety using the globally accepted “safe system approach.”
Mohammed highlighted the federal government’s commitment, under President Tinubu’s leadership, to safeguarding the lives and property of Nigerians on the roads.
He stated that the NRSS provides a clear roadmap for achieving the country’s vision of safer roads, with the goal of reducing the number of road traffic casualties to zero.
He further noted that the council’s focus on the NRSS would be pivotal in ensuring that Nigeria meets international road safety benchmarks.
“With the NRSS as our guiding framework, we now have an opportunity to drastically reduce road traffic crashes and move closer to our vision of zero deaths from such incidents,” Mohammed said.
The NaRSAC will be chaired by Vice President Shettima, with members drawn from across various sectors and regions of the country.
This includes six state governors, each representing one of the six geopolitical zones, as well as key ministers from the federal cabinet, such as those responsible for Transportation, Works, Health, Justice, Education, and Finance.
Other members include the Ministers of Environment, Police Affairs, Interior, Budget and Economic Planning, the Federal Capital Territory, Information, and Labour & Productivity.
Additionally, the council’s membership includes the National Security Adviser, the President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, representatives from the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, and the Nigerian Society of Engineers.