The Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs has pledged to strengthen legislative oversight of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) as the Corps appealed for increased funding, modern operational equipment, additional personnel, technology-driven enforcement and legislative backing to enhance road safety and reduce fatalities across Nigeria.
The commitment was made during an interactive session between the committee, chaired by Senator Ede Dafinone (Delta Central), and the leadership of the FRSC led by the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed.
Speaking at the meeting, Senator Dafinone said the engagement formed part of the committee’s strategic interaction with agencies under its oversight following the recent leadership reshuffle in the Senate.
He explained that the exercise was in line with Order 96, Subsection 27, Item 80 of the Senate Standing Orders 2026, which empowers the committee to oversee agencies within its constitutional mandate, including the FRSC.
According to him, the committee is determined to reposition its oversight responsibilities through strategic frameworks that will improve institutional efficiency, service delivery and accountability.
“We are building relationships with stakeholders in this critical segment of the public service to elicit ideas, share concerns and advance a strategic plan of action for the committee,” Dafinone said.
He added that the committee would continue to carry out oversight visits, investigative hearings, public consultations and policy reviews aimed at addressing institutional challenges and strengthening governance across agencies.
The chairman also disclosed that issues relating to the ongoing FRSC recruitment exercise would be discussed during a closed-door executive session.
Giving an overview of the Corps’ operations, Corps Marshal Mohammed described road traffic crashes as one of Nigeria’s biggest public safety and public health challenges, noting that the country’s vast road network places enormous responsibility on the FRSC.
He said the Corps had adopted deliberate strategies to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities while creating safer highways across the country.
“Our primary mandate is to reduce road traffic crashes and fatalities and create an enabling environment for motorists to travel safely across Nigeria,” he said.
The Corps Marshal identified inadequate operational funding as one of the agency’s biggest challenges, revealing that the last major procurement of operational patrol vehicles took place in 2013.
He also disclosed that the FRSC is transitioning from conventional enforcement to technology-driven operations through investments in body-worn cameras, digital monitoring systems and modern command-and-control centres capable of monitoring patrol activities in real time.
“We are shifting towards technology-based enforcement using body cameras and modern control rooms that enable us to monitor our operatives in real time,” Mohammed said, urging the National Assembly to support greater investment in technology infrastructure.
Mohammed further lamented inadequate manpower, saying the Corps lacks sufficient personnel to effectively police Nigeria’s highways.
According to him, managing traffic intersections in the Federal Capital Territory alone would require between 300 and 400 officers working in shifts.
“Our personnel strength is not adequate for the volume of work before us,” he said.
The Corps Marshal also sought legislative support for a bill that would permit selected FRSC personnel to bear arms, arguing that patrol teams frequently encounter dangerous situations involving criminal elements and heavily loaded commercial vehicles.
He clarified that the proposal was intended to protect personnel and government assets rather than militarise the Corps, noting that the bill had already been passed by the House of Representatives and now awaits Senate consideration.
Responding to questions from lawmakers, Mohammed said road safety enforcement alone could not address Nigeria’s transportation challenges, blaming persistent vehicle overloading on the absence of an efficient and affordable public transport system.
He noted that poverty and the lack of transportation alternatives often compel commuters to patronise overloaded vehicles and even trucks.
“When we stop overloaded vehicles, the passengers ask us, ‘What option do we have?'” he said.
Mohammed added that poverty often makes strict enforcement difficult, as many offenders cannot afford prescribed fines, while low literacy levels continue to undermine compliance with traffic regulations.
He stressed that road safety goes beyond enforcement, calling for increased public education and behavioural change campaigns to improve compliance with traffic laws.
The FRSC boss also revealed that some government officials and other high-profile individuals regularly violate traffic regulations, particularly traffic signals, citing security concerns.
He said the Corps usually reports such violations to the appropriate authorities.
On driver’s licence administration, Mohammed announced that the FRSC had significantly improved licence production following the replacement of obsolete equipment.
He assured Nigerians that applicants should no longer wait beyond two weeks after biometric capture to receive their licences.
He further disclosed that the Corps would launch a contactless driver’s licence application system within the next month, alongside premium same-day processing services.
The Corps Marshal also highlighted Nigeria’s growing influence in road safety administration across Africa, noting that the FRSC currently plays a leading role within the West African Road Safety Organisation and hosts the secretariat of the African Association of Lead Road Safety Agencies.
During the session, members of the committee proposed reviewing the validity period of driver’s licences by extending renewal periods from annual renewals to five or ten years to reduce administrative burdens on motorists and improve efficiency.
The committee said the proposal would form part of its ongoing review of policies affecting agencies under its oversight.
The meeting ended with both the Senate Committee and the FRSC reaffirming their commitment to closer collaboration aimed at strengthening road safety governance, improving institutional performance and reducing the rate of road traffic crashes and fatalities across the country.
