FRSC Special Marshals Seek Stronger Partnerships, Data-Driven Strategy To Improve Road Safety
OLORUNDARE ENIMOLA, Lagos
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has called for stronger strategic partnerships, improved data collection and greater community involvement to reposition its Special Marshals Scheme for more effective road safety interventions across Nigeria.
The call was made on Thursday at the 2026 Special Marshals Zonal Conference for Zone RS2 (Lagos and Ogun States), held at the Muhammadu Buhari International Conference Centre, Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta. The conference was themed, “Repositioning Special Marshals for Greater Impact through Strategic Partnerships and Data-Driven Road Safety Interventions.”
Representing Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, the Commissioner for Transportation, Engr. Gbenga Dairo, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to supporting the FRSC in promoting safer roads.
He praised the Special Marshals for their voluntary service, describing their contribution as vital to the Corps’ success in reducing road crashes and improving traffic management.
In a message delivered on behalf of Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed by Assistant Corps Marshal Matthew Olonisaye, the FRSC urged Special Marshals to embrace innovation, technology and evidence-based decision-making to meet the growing challenges posed by increasing urbanisation, vehicle ownership and changing road user behaviour.
The Corps Marshal stressed that road safety could no longer be achieved by the FRSC alone, calling for stronger collaboration with government institutions, transport operators, educational institutions, faith-based organisations, community leaders, private organisations and development partners.
He also encouraged Special Marshals to improve documentation and support research, data collection and performance evaluation to guide road safety interventions.
Addressing participants, Olonisaye, through Lagos State Sector Commander Corps Commander Kehinde Hamzat, described Lagos and Ogun as strategic economic hubs with some of Nigeria’s busiest highways, making collaboration essential to protecting lives.
He urged Special Marshals to move beyond routine volunteerism by leveraging their professional expertise and networks to strengthen public enlightenment, intelligence gathering and crash prevention while maintaining integrity and professionalism.
National Coordinator of Special Marshals, Dr. Adaji Usman, whose address was presented by former National Coordinator Dr. Sini Kwabe, said the organisation had implemented more than 80 per cent of its 15-point agenda within the past year.
He highlighted improvements in discipline, standardised enlistment, training, operational data management, welfare initiatives, financial transparency and communication, while calling for stronger compliance with directives and deeper collaboration across all commands.
Delivering the conference paper, former FRSC Sector Commander and former TRACE Chief Executive, Ayo Sangofadeji, advocated a Safe System approach to road safety, arguing that crashes are largely preventable through coordinated action by government, enforcement agencies, transport operators, communities and road users.
He recommended digital reporting platforms, artificial intelligence, predictive crash analysis and stronger partnerships with government, transport unions, insurers, technology firms and community institutions to enhance road safety intelligence and targeted interventions.
Earlier, Zonal Coordinator of Zone RS2 Special Marshals, Pastor Olusegun Akintan, urged members to embrace data-driven operations, describing accurate information as critical to saving lives.
He also commended Zone RS2 for scoring 96 per cent in the recent national assessment and encouraged participants to translate conference deliberations into practical actions capable of delivering measurable improvements in road safety across Lagos and Ogun States.
