1,347 Killed In Nigeria’s Road Crashes In Q1 2026 – NBS

No fewer than 1,347 persons lost their lives in road accidents across Nigeria in the first quarter of 2026, according to newly released data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The report, published on Tuesday, revealed that 2,720 road traffic crashes were recorded nationwide between January and March 2026, representing a 2.64 per cent increase compared to the 2,650 cases reported during the same period in 2025.

However, the figure showed a slight decline of 0.40 per cent when compared with the 2,731 crashes recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025.

According to the NBS, serious crashes accounted for the highest number of incidents during the period, with 1,761 cases recorded nationwide. Fatal crashes stood at 714, while 245 cases were categorised as minor accidents.

The statistics further showed that men accounted for the majority of fatalities recorded during the quarter. Out of the 1,347 deaths, 1,076 victims were male, representing 79.88 per cent, while 271 females accounted for 20.12 per cent.

Similarly, males dominated the number of injured victims. The report indicated that 6,547 men sustained injuries in various crashes, representing 76.35 per cent of total injured persons, while 2,028 women, representing 23.65 per cent, were also injured.

In total, 8,575 persons were injured in road accidents during the period under review.

The NBS report also showed a marginal increase in the number of vehicles involved in crashes nationwide. A total of 4,078 vehicles were involved in road accidents in Q1 2026, compared to 4,059 vehicles recorded in the previous quarter.

A breakdown by region revealed that the North-Central zone recorded the highest number of crashes with 752 cases, followed by the South-West with 699 incidents. The South-South recorded the least number of crashes at 137 cases.

In terms of casualties, the North-West recorded the highest figure with 2,675 persons either killed or injured in crashes, while the North-Central followed with 2,544 casualties. The South-South again recorded the lowest figure with 402 casualties.

The latest figures have heightened concerns over road safety across the country, with stakeholders attributing the rising accidents to reckless driving, excessive speeding, poor road conditions, overloading, and weak compliance with traffic regulations.