Vice President Kashim Shettima, yesterday, renewed Nigeria’s commitment to safer roads through smarter transportation systems, stronger partnerships, and technology-driven solutions.

The assurance came against the backdrop of grim statistics from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), which lamented that despite decades of awareness campaigns, legislation, and enforcement, the country still records about 5,000 deaths and 31,154 injuries yearly from road crashes.

Speaking at the eighth edition of the FRSC Annual Lecture Series held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Shettima, who chairs the National Road Safety Advisory Council, stressed that road safety remains a collective duty that cannot be performed by government alone.

The Vice President lauded the FRSC for 37 years of consistent enforcement of road regulations and public sensitisation, adding that the President Bola Tinubu’s administration is committed to implementing the National Road Safety Strategy through heavy investment in road construction, maintenance, and expansion.

International partners, including the FIA Foundation, also came in for commendation for helping Nigeria align with global best practices.

Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, described the yearly lecture as a “strategic platform for dialogue, innovation, and knowledge sharing,” noting that this year’s theme, ‘Road Safety Management and Emerging Transportation Trends: Global Partnership for Optimal Performance’, was timely, as the world adapts to electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, smart traffic systems, and digital logistics platforms.

The FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, said the revival of the lecture series, last held in 2017, underscored the urgency of harnessing global partnerships, while domesticating best practices to reduce the nation’s alarming crash statistics.

He stressed that the pending FRSC Establishment Bill before the National Assembly would strengthen enforcement powers and improve staff welfare.