FRSC at 38: Shehu Mohammed steering Nigeria’s road safety revolution to greater heights, By Bisi Kazeem

When Mallam Shehu Mohammed assumed leadership as Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), he inherited not just an institution with history, but a national mandate that touches every family, every highway, and every community in Nigeria. At 38 years, the Corps stands tall as Africa’s model road safety agency, and under his stewardship, that legacy is not merely preserved, it is being boldly redefined.

Nigeria’s highways were once synonymous with fear. Before 1988, the World Health Organisation ranked Nigeria among the most dangerous countries in the world to drive. It was a troubling indictment that demanded courage and clarity of purpose. The establishment of the FRSC under Decree No. 45 of 1988 laid the foundation for reform. But sustaining and advancing that reform across decades requires visionary leadership, the kind now exemplified by Mallam Shehu Mohammed.

Today, under his command, the Corps is consolidating its position as one of the most technologically advanced and operationally efficient law enforcement institutions in Nigeria. With renewed strategic focus, the present leadership has deepened the Safe Systems Approach built on people, processes, and technology, ensuring that safety interventions are not reactive, but preventive and intelligence-driven.

One of the defining hallmarks of his administration is accelerated digital transformation. Within six months, over 3,000 personnel were trained to strengthen operational competence and technological adaptability. More than 95 per cent of the Corps’ administrative and operational processes are automated, supported by over 30 web-based applications that enhance traffic governance nationwide. From the National Crash Reporting Information System (NACRIS) to the upgraded e-ticketing platform, innovation is no longer optional; it is institutional culture.

Emergency response under the current Corps Marshal has become faster and more coordinated, with nationwide response time reduced dramatically from 50 minutes to 15 minutes. The 122 toll-free emergency line and 24-hour National Call Centre continue to serve as lifelines for distressed road users, reflecting a leadership that understands that every second counts.

Strategic stakeholder engagement has equally flourished. Safe corridor initiatives have been strengthened, collaboration with transport unions intensified, and enforcement around articulated vehicles tightened. The result is a significant reduction in tanker-related crashes, a development that speaks to deliberate policy direction and disciplined implementation.

Under Mallam Shehu Mohammed’s leadership, data has become a central pillar of enforcement and planning. Through strengthened collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission, the National Bureau of Statistics, and the Nigeria Customs Service, the Corps has advanced harmonised data systems that support evidence-based interventions. Transparent weekly crash trend reporting now guides targeted deployment and corrective strategies.

Nigeria’s standing on the global stage has also been reinforced. The country remains an active participant in the renewed UN Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021–2030) and continues alignment with international road safety conventions. These achievements build on the solid foundation laid by past leaders from Olu Agunloye and General Haladu Hannaniya to Chief Osita Chidoka, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, and Dauda Ali Biu, but under the present Corps Marshal, the momentum has unmistakably intensified.

Operationally, the Corps’ footprint now spans 12 Zonal Commands, 37 Sector Commands, over 300 Unit Commands, over 700 Station Offices, 59 Zebra Emergency Ambulance Points, and presence in all 774 Local Government Areas of Nigeria. Yet beyond physical structures lies a stronger institutional spirit, one driven by discipline, professionalism, and accountability.

From a nation once ranked among the most unsafe for motorists to a continental pacesetter in road safety management, Nigeria’s transformation story is inseparable from the strength of its leadership. At 38 years, FRSC is not simply celebrating longevity; it is celebrating purposeful stewardship.

Mallam Shehu Mohammed represents a generation of reform-minded leadership committed to smarter mobility systems, data-driven enforcement, and people-centered safety administration.

His tenure reflects continuity with courage sustaining the Corps’ proud legacy while boldly steering it toward greater innovation and measurable impact.

The road ahead is demanding. But under his steady command, Nigeria’s highways are safer, its systems smarter, and its future brighter.

Bisi Kazeem is a retired Deputy Corps Marshal of the FRSC.