The Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs has pledged stronger legislative oversight and support for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) as the agency seeks improved funding, modern technology, additional personnel and legal reforms to strengthen road safety administration across Nigeria.
The commitment was made during an interactive session between the committee and the leadership of the FRSC, led by Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed, where lawmakers and the Corps reviewed operational challenges, institutional reforms and legislative priorities aimed at reducing road traffic crashes and fatalities nationwide.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ede Dafinone, who represents Delta Central Senatorial District, said the engagement formed part of the committee’s renewed oversight strategy following the recent reconstitution of Senate committees.
He explained that the meeting was held pursuant to Order 96, Subsection 27, Item 80 of the Senate Standing Orders 2026, which empowers the committee to oversee agencies under its jurisdiction, including the FRSC.
According to Senator Dafinone, the committee intends to reposition its oversight role by developing strategic frameworks that will improve institutional efficiency, strengthen accountability and enhance service delivery.
“We are building relationships with stakeholders in this critical segment of the public service to elicit ideas, share concerns and advance a strategic plan of action for the committee,” he said.
He added that the committee would continue to discharge its constitutional responsibilities through oversight visits, investigative hearings, stakeholder consultations and policy recommendations designed to address institutional weaknesses.
The senator also stressed that the committee would not hesitate to recommend appropriate sanctions where agencies or public officials fail to meet expected standards of performance.
Describing the FRSC as Nigeria’s foremost road traffic management agency established under the Federal Road Safety Corps (Establishment) Act, 2007, Dafinone said the Corps remains central to road traffic administration, crash prevention, rescue operations, public enlightenment, vehicle and driver administration, enforcement of traffic laws and prosecution of offenders.
He noted that the Corps Marshal was invited to brief lawmakers on the agency’s operational capacity, workforce strength, deployment across the federation, existing challenges and areas requiring legislative intervention.
He disclosed that issues relating to the ongoing FRSC recruitment exercise would be discussed during a closed-door executive session.
In his presentation, Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed apologised for arriving late, explaining that he had travelled from an official engagement in Kogi State.
He described road traffic crashes as one of Nigeria’s most serious public safety and public health challenges, noting that the country’s vast road network places enormous responsibility on the Corps.
“Our primary mandate is to reduce road traffic crashes and fatalities and create an enabling environment for motorists to travel safely across Nigeria,” Mohammed said.
The Corps Marshal identified inadequate operational funding as one of the agency’s greatest challenges, revealing that the last major procurement of patrol vehicles was in 2013.
“The last time operational vehicles were purchased for the Federal Road Safety Corps was in 2013,” he stated.
Mohammed told lawmakers that the FRSC is gradually transitioning from conventional enforcement methods to technology-driven operations through the deployment of body-worn cameras, digital monitoring systems and modern command-and-control centres capable of monitoring patrol activities in real time.
“We are shifting towards technology-based enforcement using body cameras and modern control rooms that enable us to monitor our operatives in real time,” he said.
He appealed to the National Assembly to support greater investment in technology infrastructure to improve operational efficiency.
The Corps Marshal also lamented inadequate manpower, saying the agency lacks sufficient personnel to effectively police Nigerian roads.
According to him, traffic management in the Federal Capital Territory alone would require between 300 and 400 officers working in shifts.
“Our personnel strength is not adequate for the volume of work before us,” he said.
Among the requests presented to the committee was legislative support for a bill seeking to permit selected FRSC personnel to bear arms while on duty.
Mohammed explained that patrol teams often confront dangerous situations involving armed criminals and reckless operators of heavily loaded commercial vehicles without adequate means of self-protection.
“The purpose is not to confront motorists but to protect our personnel, facilities and support enforcement operations,” he said, adding that the bill had already been passed by the House of Representatives and now awaits Senate consideration.
Responding to questions from lawmakers, Mohammed argued that effective road safety management cannot be achieved through enforcement alone.
He attributed the widespread practice of vehicle overloading to the absence of efficient and affordable public transportation across the country.
“When we stop overloaded vehicles, the passengers ask us, ‘What option do we have?’” he said.
He noted that commuters in Abuja and several northern states often board any available vehicle, including trucks, due to limited transportation options.
The Corps Marshal acknowledged that the FRSC sometimes exercises discretion because many offenders are unable to pay prescribed fines, saying poverty continues to shape transport choices in many communities.
He also blamed low literacy levels for poor compliance with traffic regulations, stressing that many road users remain unaware of the dangers associated with unsafe transportation practices such as carrying passengers alongside livestock and heavy cargo.
“Road safety is holistic. It is not just about enforcement,” Mohammed said, calling for greater investment in public education and behavioural change campaigns.
He further disclosed that some government officials and other high-profile individuals regularly violate traffic regulations, particularly traffic signals, often citing security concerns.
“Many VIPs do not stop at traffic lights. They often cite security concerns,” he revealed, explaining that FRSC officers are generally limited to reporting such violations to the appropriate authorities.
On driver’s licence administration, Mohammed announced that the Corps has significantly improved production capacity following the replacement of obsolete equipment.
He assured Nigerians that applicants should no longer wait beyond two weeks after biometric capture to receive their licences.
He also disclosed that the FRSC would introduce a contactless driver’s licence application system within one month alongside premium same-day processing services.
“Within the next one month, we will launch and implement the contactless driver’s licence system,” he said.
Mohammed described vehicle overloading as one of the agency’s most difficult enforcement challenges, explaining that the high cost of freight transportation compels many operators to transport goods in passenger vehicles.
According to him, transporting cargo by truck may cost about ₦1 million, whereas using passenger buses costs only a fraction of that amount.
He therefore advocated broader reforms across Nigeria’s transportation sector to address the underlying economic realities driving traffic violations.
Despite the operational constraints, the Corps Marshal highlighted Nigeria’s growing leadership in road safety management across Africa.
He disclosed that the FRSC currently plays a leading role in the West African Road Safety Organisation and hosts the secretariat of the African Association of Lead Road Safety Agencies, with several African countries visiting Nigeria to understudy its road safety model.
During the session, members of the committee proposed reviewing the validity period of driver’s licences by extending renewal intervals from annual renewals to five or ten years to reduce administrative burdens on motorists and improve efficiency.
The committee said the proposal would be considered as part of its ongoing review of policies affecting agencies under its oversight.
The meeting concluded with both the Senate Committee and the FRSC reaffirming their commitment to closer collaboration aimed at strengthening road safety governance, enhancing institutional performance and reducing the country’s high rate of road traffic crashes and fatalities.
Lawmakers also assured the Corps of continued legislative support to ensure it is adequately equipped to discharge its statutory responsibility of protecting lives and property on Nigeria’s highways.
