Nigeria to Host First International Road Crash Victims Africa Conference

As part of ongoing efforts to curb the alarming rise in road accidents, which claim over 1.2 million lives annually across the globe, Nigeria is set to host the maiden International Road Crash Victims Africa Conference.

The conference will bring together experts, technocrats, and policymakers to explore strategies for tackling road crashes, supporting victims, and assisting families of those who have lost their lives.

Speaking ahead of the event in Abuja, the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mallam Shehu Mohammed, disclosed that the conference is expected to pave the way for the establishment of a world-class trauma center to strengthen emergency response across the country.

He observed that past global conferences on road crashes and injuries focused largely on high-income countries, with little or no attention paid to accident victims in Africa. Mohammed expressed confidence that the outcome of the event would help African nations reduce the growing rate of road crashes, which continue to claim the lives of young and productive citizens.

The FRSC boss also emphasized the Corps’ commitment to working with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and other stakeholders with initiatives geared towards improving driving culture among Nigerian road users.

In her remarks, the President of the Court of Appeal and Founder of the Keep Road Safety Demand (KRSD), Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, said the conference—tagged “Gathering Africa and the World for Road Crash Victims”—would serve as a vital platform to provide support and relief to road accident victims.

She stressed that Nigeria still requires a strong national strategy to address critical risk factors such as speeding, drunk driving, phone use while driving, and failure to use seatbelts.

“Fathers, mothers, children, workers, and breadwinners—lives cut short or changed forever. For every fatality, there are families left in grief, and survivors burdened with economic and social loss,” she said.

Justice Dongban-Mensem further noted that, with collaboration between the FRSC and other key stakeholders, Nigeria would significantly contribute to the global Vision Zero agenda and the Safe Systems Approach, which affirm that no death on the road is acceptable.