The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has announced a major breakthrough in its campaign against tanker and trailer related crashes, recording a 61.29 per cent reduction in fatalities and a 15.53 per cent decline in crash severity index in 2025.
The Corps attributed the achievement to the effective implementation of its Safe-to-Load Programme under the leadership of Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed.
Speaking at the flag-off of the 2026 technical training for FRSC desk officers at petroleum depots and terminals in Lagos, the Corps Marshal described the outcome as a validation of the agency’s data driven enforcement strategy and inter agency collaboration.
He explained that the Safe-to-Load Programme, introduced in 2015 in line with global safety standards for transporting dangerous goods, has significantly improved compliance within the petroleum haulage sector.
According to him, compliance with Class G Driver Licence requirements has risen from 58.2 per cent at inception to 99.4 per cent, while installation of key safety components such as API standard leak proof systems has reached 98.3 per cent.
Despite the progress, Mohammed stressed that the Corps would sustain efforts toward achieving zero fatalities. He warned that any tanker failing to meet Safe-to-Load requirements would be denied loading, adding that all tanker related crashes would be thoroughly investigated across the value chain, including depot operators and vehicle owners.
The Corps Marshal also raised concerns over ongoing violations such as tampering with speed limiting devices and poor vehicle maintenance, describing them as serious threats to road safety.
Declaring a tougher enforcement stance, he said “the era of impunity on Nigerian roads is over,” noting that the Safe-to-Load Programme has evolved into a national safety imperative.
He urged operators, drivers and other stakeholders to ensure full compliance, emphasising that preventing crashes translates to saving lives, protecting property and preserving national resources.
The Corps reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening technology driven monitoring systems, enhancing personnel capacity, and sustaining partnerships with key stakeholders, including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria.