The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has urged African countries to implement road safety agreements, rather than just ratify policies and protocols.

FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, made the call on Friday in Abuja during the 2026 West African road safety organisation day.

The event carried the theme, ‘From Ratification to Action: African Road Safety Charter.’

Mr Mohammed warned that policy ratification without implementation would remain symbolic and fail to save lives.

He stressed that stronger collaboration among African nations remained essential in tackling road crashes and fatalities.

He called for harmonised traffic laws and coordinated enforcement systems across the continent.

According to him, member states should share crash data and adopt common standards for licensing and vehicle inspections.

“Therefore, I call on all member states to move swiftly from policy documents to pavement impact.

“Let us harmonise traffic laws, establish crash data protocols, and adopt common licensing and inspection standards.

“The African road safety observatory must be empowered to track our progress with credible data,” he said.

Mr Mohammed said the corps aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s regional economic integration agenda.

He said the policy emphasised safer trade corridors, smart traffic technology, and stronger border infrastructure management.

According to him, the corps remained strategically positioned to deepen regional collaboration and economic integration.

He cited the Lagos–Abidjan corridor as a key area of intervention.

“The FRSC has enhanced mobility, improved traffic management, and supported seamless movement of people and goods,” he said.

He thanked partners, including the World Health Organisation and ECOWAS Commission, for technical support.

“Ratification was the handshake, implementation is the hard work, and saving lives remains the ultimate reward,” Mr Mohammed said.

Representing Nigeria’s Ministry of Transportation, deputy director Abubakar El-Nafaty described the event as timely and significant.

He said governments and stakeholders must translate policy commitments into measurable actions across Africa.

Mr El-Nafaty also urged stakeholders to embrace innovation and technology in transport safety management.

Also speaking, Olarenwaju Olatunji, focal person at the United Nations Decade of Action on Road Safety, Injury and Prevention, said road safety discussions must lead to practical action.

He said sustained implementation remained critical to reducing injuries, crashes, and avoidable deaths.

Highlights included a public lecture by Wale Ajala, acting director, IT Services, Directorate, ECOWAS Commission, and goodwill messages by other stakeholders. 

(NAN)