FRSC Launches National Campaign Against Overloading, Adopts Abuja Declaration 2026
ABUJA — The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has launched a National Movement for Safe Loading and Safe Road Use, urging stakeholders in Nigeria’s transportation sector to work together to eliminate overloading and other unsafe loading practices.
The initiative was unveiled on Thursday at a National Breakfast Policy Dialogue in Abuja, organised in partnership with Business Day Media Limited and attended by government agencies, transport operators, cargo owners, regulators, civil society organisations and media representatives.
The dialogue was held under the theme, “Ending Overloading, Saving Lives: A National Commitment to Safer Roads and Responsible Transportation in Nigeria.”
Speaking at the event, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, described overloading as more than a traffic violation, stressing that it poses serious challenges to road safety, infrastructure, logistics and economic development.
Mohammed explained that excessive loading compromises the braking and steering systems of vehicles and affects their stability, thereby increasing the likelihood of road crashes.
According to him, overloading also accelerates vehicle deterioration and contributes to the premature deterioration of road infrastructure.
He further warned against improper and mixed loading, including the transportation of passengers alongside cargo, the carriage of incompatible or dangerous materials, and the poor distribution or securing of loads.
He said such practices expose drivers, passengers and other road users to unnecessary risks.
“A vehicle must carry only what it is designed, licensed, and safely configured to carry. No reduction in transportation costs or commercial benefit is worth the loss of human lives,” Mohammed said.
The FRSC boss noted that Nigeria’s economic activities depend heavily on the safe transportation of agricultural produce, raw materials, manufactured goods, fuel and other commodities.
He stressed that an efficient and safe transportation system was therefore essential to the country’s economic growth and prosperity.
“When overloading damages our roads, government bears the cost. When it damages vehicles, operators bear the cost. When it delays the movement of goods, businesses and consumers bear the cost. But when it causes a fatal crash, a Nigerian family bears the cost that money can never replace,” he said.
Mohammed said enforcement alone would not be sufficient to end overloading, insisting that all participants in the transportation chain must take responsibility.
He identified cargo owners, shippers, loading agents, transporters, fleet operators, drivers, regulators and government as key stakeholders whose cooperation would be required to achieve safer road use.
He urged cargo owners to accurately declare the weight of their goods, while transport operators were advised to maintain their vehicles properly and comply with prescribed loading limits.
Drivers, he said, must also be prepared to reject unsafe or improperly secured loads.
The Corps Marshal called on regulators and relevant government agencies to strengthen weighing infrastructure, improve data sharing and enhance coordination in the enforcement of road safety regulations.
He disclosed that the FRSC would intensify enforcement, public enlightenment, intelligence-led operations and the deployment of technology as part of efforts to improve compliance.
According to him, the Corps is seeking to move beyond reactive enforcement towards a more proactive and preventive approach to road safety.
On the adoption and signing of the Abuja Declaration 2026, Mohammed said the document must translate into concrete action rather than remain a ceremonial commitment.
He called for the declaration to serve as a national compact containing clearly defined responsibilities, measurable commitments, timelines and monitoring mechanisms.
“Our assessment will not be measured by the quality of our speeches or the number of signatures. It will be measured by what changes on our roads. Are fewer vehicles overloaded? Are cargo weights properly declared? Are crashes and fatalities reducing?” he asked.
Mohammed urged participants to ensure that the National Movement for Safe Loading and Safe Roads becomes a sustained movement for action and accountability.
“Our roads must carry Nigeria’s goods. They must carry our people. They must carry our economic aspirations. But they must not carry avoidable deaths,” he said.
The FRSC Corps Marshal expressed appreciation to the stakeholders who participated in the dialogue, saying the initiative could mark a turning point in the country’s efforts to improve road safety and strengthen transportation systems.
Also speaking, the keynote speaker and Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Jibrin Baba Ndace, urged drivers, transport unions and regulatory authorities to make passenger safety a non-negotiable priority.
Ndace called for an end to vehicle overloading and poor vehicle maintenance, while encouraging drivers to pay greater attention to warnings and concerns raised by passengers.
He recounted four near-fatal road accidents he experienced in Kaduna and Kano states, using the incidents to illustrate the dangers of reckless driving, poor vehicle conditions and failure to heed safety warnings.
Narrating one of the incidents, Ndace said the vehicle he was travelling in developed a problem near a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camp in Kaduna shortly after dusk.
According to him, the driver noticed a tyre on the road and applied the brakes as darkness approached, causing the vehicle to somersault and overturn.
He said the accident left the driver down while the windscreen was shattered, but the occupants survived.
Ndace said he escaped through the broken windscreen and assisted other passengers, most of whom were women, out of the damaged vehicle before helping the driver.
He said the experience reinforced the importance of drivers listening to passengers when safety concerns are raised.
“The lesson there is that sometimes drivers don’t listen to passengers even when you caution them,” he said.
The stakeholders at the dialogue were expected to use the Abuja Declaration 2026 and the newly launched movement as a framework for stronger cooperation towards reducing overloading, improving vehicle and cargo safety, and ultimately lowering road crashes and fatalities across Nigeria.
