The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Kwapda’as Road Safety Demand (KRSD) Foundation have announced plans to establish a trauma centre for victims and families of road crashes, as Nigeria battles one of the highest road traffic death rates in Africa.
At a press briefing in Abuja, Shehu Mohammed, FRSC Corps Marshal, said the centre will provide medical and psychosocial support while serving as a national model for post-crash care. He noted that road crashes cause about 1.2 million deaths globally each year, with women and children disproportionately affected.
According to the World Health Organisation’s 2023 Global Status Report on Road Safety, Nigeria records 21.4 deaths per 100,000 people—significantly higher than both the global and African averages.
Monica Dongban-Mensem, Founder of KRSD, who established the foundation in 2011 after losing her son in a crash, said the initiative will also amplify advocacy.
Read also: Nigeria records 5,000 deaths, 31,000 injuries from road accidents annually – FRSC
“This is not just a statistic—it means thousands of families are devastated every year,” she said, stressing the need for stronger national strategies targeting speeding, drunk driving, and non-use of seatbelts and helmets.
The National Bureau of Statistics reported 5,081 crashes in just three months of 2023, resulting in 2,466 deaths and over 15,000 injuries. FRSC data for Q1 2024 recorded 2,733 crashes, 1,624 deaths, and more than 8,000 injuries.
The briefing also unveiled the upcoming International Road Crash Victims’ African Conference (IRCVAC) 2025, scheduled for November to coincide with KRSD’s 14th anniversary. With the theme “Gathering Africa and the World for Road Crash Victims”, it will be the first African forum dedicated to amplifying victims’ voices.
“IRCVAC 2025 is not just an event but a platform. It is about ensuring victims’ experiences shape solutions and their voices drive advocacy, in line with the global Vision Zero and Safe Systems Approach, which declare that no road death is acceptable,” Dongban-Mensem said
