For Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed, the reintroduction of this Lecture Series is not about prestige. It is about people. It is about the countless lives lost daily to preventable crashes; the families torn apart by grief; the economic toll of injuries and fatalities; and the urgent responsibility of government and citizens alike to reverse the tide. He has risen to this challenge because road crashes remain a leading killer of young people worldwide.
On Wednesday, 3 September, the Banquet Hall of the State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja, came alive, not with the formality of ceremony but with the urgency of purpose. It hosted a gathering of some of the finest minds in leadership, law, academia, security, technology, and global road safety, as Nigeria reawakened an important intellectual tradition: the FRSC Annual Lecture Series.
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First instituted in 2009, the Annual Lecture Series was designed as a platform for ideas, policy direction, and sustained awareness on the menace of road crashes. Over the years, it attracted distinguished voices, from Chief Emeka Anyaoku (CON, CFR), who spoke on “Capital Waste on Nigeria Roads”, to Prince Michael of Kent and Jean Todt, UN Special Envoy on Road Safety. These lectures inspired policy shifts and created a knowledge hub for stakeholders across sectors.
Now, after a brief hiatus, the Lecture Series was reintroduced under the visionary leadership of Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed (mni), a man who has come to symbolise innovation, pragmatism, and unrelenting commitment to safer highways. Since his assumption of office, Mr Mohammed has pursued a reformist agenda that aligns road safety, not only with enforcement but with technology, research, and inter-agency collaboration.
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Representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Special Guest of Honour, the Vice President underscored the Federal Government’s commitment to safer roads. He called on the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other relevant stakeholders to recommit themselves to the implementation of the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy.
He noted that while progress has been made, much work is still required to reduce the burden of road crashes across Nigeria. He implored government and private sector stakeholders to pursue homegrown solutions, while collaborating with global partners to ensure safer roads and sustainable transport systems in the country.
The event was graced by ministers, legislators, senior security chiefs, members of the diplomatic corps, and representatives of international organisations — all affirming that road safety is not just a transport issue but a matter of national development.
Under his stewardship, the FRSC has: gone paperless by introducing an electronic document management system, enhancing transparency and efficiency within the Corps; strengthened synergy with sister security agencies, recognising that road safety is inseparable from national security; and deepened partnerships with universities, innovators, and ministries to harness digital solutions for smarter traffic management. The Commission has also reinvigorated drivers’ training and retraining programmes, ensuring that the culture of safe driving is instilled at the grassroots level of governance, and also championed the integration of road safety into national development discourse, ensuring that every crash prevented is treated not just as a victory of enforcement, but a triumph for public health and economic growth.
These milestones are not isolated achievements. They are stepping stones toward a larger vision that places Nigeria firmly in the global conversation about emerging transport systems, safe mobility, and sustainable development.
The theme of this year’s lecture, “Road Safety Management and Emerging Transportation Trends: Global Partnership for Optimal Performance,” is both timely and forward-looking. The keynote was delivered by Mr Saul Billingsley, executive director of the FIA Foundation, London, one of the most respected global advocates for road safety and sustainable transport. His perspectives have set the tone for a multi-sectoral dialogue enriched by distinguished discussants, including Honourable Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem (CFR), president of the Court of Appeal (bringing the justice system’s perspective on road safety and NGOs); General Christopher Gwabin Musa (OFR), Chief of Defence Staff (on national security and safety management); Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (on digitalisation and innovation for highway safety); Professor Patricia Manko Lar, Acting Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja (on education and research in road safety); and Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), president of the Nigerian Bar Association (on the role of law and professional bodies). Together, they interrogated how Nigeria can translate global best practices into homegrown solutions for safer, smarter roads.
For Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed, the reintroduction of this Lecture Series is not about prestige. It is about people. It is about the countless lives lost daily to preventable crashes; the families torn apart by grief; the economic toll of injuries and fatalities; and the urgent responsibility of government and citizens alike to reverse the tide. He has risen to this challenge because road crashes remain a leading killer of young people worldwide. In Nigeria, they claim thousands of lives annually, most of them in the most productive age bracket. Every statistic represents a human story, a dream cut short, and a contribution lost to the nation.
Thus, the FRSC Lecture Series is not just another high-level dialogue. It is a clarion call for a national movement: one that brings the government, private sector, academia, civil society, and citizens into a common resolve. A resolve that says our roads must no longer be corridors of tragedy but avenues of opportunity and growth.
Looking back at the roster of past speakers, ranging from His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, former president of Ghana, to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, the Lecture Series has consistently set the bar high. Each edition contributed to shaping Nigeria’s journey toward safer highways. But this Eighth edition marked more than a continuation. It signalled a rebirth. A statement that the FRSC, under its present leadership, is not only guarding the roads but also guiding the nation’s vision of mobility in the 21st century.
As I stated above, on 3 September, when the Banquet Hall doors opened and the Vice President declared the Lecture Series underway, it was not be just another calendar event, it marked the beginning of a renewed national conversation. One that recognises that every crash prevented is a life saved. One that affirms that safe mobility is the foundation of development. One that ignites a movement for safe roads, bright futures, and a Nigeria where journeys end in joy, not grief.
The FRSC Annual Lecture Series is back. And with it, a promise: that Nigeria’s road to the future will be safer, smarter, and shared by all.
Bisi Kazeem is a retired deputy corps marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
