FRSC, RAPNEC Seek Stronger Action On Pedestrian Safety
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Road Accident Prevention Network Centre (RAPNEC) Nigeria have called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and across the country.
The call was made during a stakeholders’ engagement on the Mobility Snapshot Project and pedestrian safety held at the FRSC headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, the FCT Sector Commander of the FRSC, Corps Commander Tijani Eliassu, represented by Deputy Corps Commander Blessing Okoro, reaffirmed the corps’ commitment to evidence-based interventions aimed at reducing road traffic crashes and protecting vulnerable road users.
Okoro commended RAPNEC Nigeria and the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety for implementing the Mobility Snapshot Project in Nigeria since 2024, noting that assessments conducted in areas such as Arab Junction and Utako in Abuja revealed critical road safety concerns requiring urgent attention.
She identified non-compliance with zebra crossings and traffic signals, excessive speeding in urban areas, and inadequate pedestrian infrastructure as major threats to road safety.
“Road safety is a shared responsibility. FRSC cannot address road safety issues alone, which is why we continue to engage stakeholders in traffic management, enforcement and public enlightenment,” she said.
Okoro said the FRSC remains committed to creating a safer motoring environment where road crashes do not result in fatalities, stressing that strategic partnerships are essential to achieving that goal.
She also highlighted the corps’ “Catch Them Young” initiative, which promotes road safety education among primary and secondary school students, as well as members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Speaking on behalf of RAPNEC Nigeria, Executive Director Prince Ache Ogu described the engagement as part of a global initiative supported by the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety, a United Nations-affiliated network comprising more than 400 non-governmental organisations worldwide.
Ogu said the initiative connects Nigeria to a global movement focused on making walking and cycling safer, healthier and more equitable for all road users.
“Across the FCT and Nigeria, walking and cycling remain the most accessible modes of mobility for millions of people. Yet pedestrians and cyclists continue to bear a disproportionate burden of road traffic injuries and fatalities,” he said.
According to him, the Mobility Snapshot Project identifies crash-prone locations, particularly those affecting pedestrians, by assessing dangerous road corridors and documenting challenges such as speeding, unsafe walkways and inadequate infrastructure, including the absence of zebra crossings and pedestrian bridges.
He added that findings from the project are uploaded to the Global Alliance database to support advocacy and policy interventions aimed at improving road safety.
Stakeholders at the meeting also called for stronger monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess the impact of interventions under the project. They urged organisers to ensure that recommendations from the assessments are forwarded to relevant authorities for implementation.
Participants further stressed the need to address human, mechanical and environmental factors responsible for road traffic crashes through enhanced collaboration among government agencies, transport unions and other stakeholders.
